Little Children
by ilovecartoonsgirl
Summary: After all meeting and spending some time in a not very good orphanage, Tsuna and the others decided to run away together, even though none of them were yet twelve-years-old. Whether things got better or not...they will have to see.. Ch27: In which Chrome meets Daemon and Elena.
1. Chapter 1

**Yes I know, I should be updating _I Can't Do This Again_ but this wouldn't leave my head! That and I am having a bit of inspirational trouble with the current chapter...well, hopefully this will cure my stupid writer's block! **

**I don't own KHR. I hope you like these one-shots!**

Tsuna was looking over Kyoya when he felt it. The urge, no, the absolute _need_ to go to town, _right now_. Recognizing it as the feeling that Mukuro called intuition, Tsuna looked around the cave they called home. Even though he expected it, the nine-year-old still had his hopes dashed when he saw that none of the others had gotten back from berry-and-wood gathering yet. It was just him, Hayato, Lambo, and Kyoya. And Hayato was napping with a sleeping baby Lambo in his arms and Kyoya was really sick. Even if Tsuna woke Hayato up, one of them has to stay behind and watch over their youngest brother and ill brother.

"Maybe…I should wait till the others come back," muttered Tsuna quietly, unwilling to break Kyoya and Mukuro's most steadfast rule. _Never_ go to town alone. With the exception of Kyoya, Mukuro, and Ryohei, Tsuna and the others must travel with at least one other person. And no, eleven-month-old Lambo did not count.

However, just as Tsuna said those words, he felt the prompting again, but even more strongly than before. While Tsuna gasped in response to the nearly over-whelming feeling, his intuition told him something else. It was the only way to save Kyoya.

Tsuna, both fear and hope dancing around in his chest, looked at his elder brother lying beside him. Kyoya, who never failed to protect Tsuna and the rest of his siblings from the bullies and the caretakers at the orphanage, was now having trouble with something simple as breathing. Whenever he coughed his whole body tensed up and the coughs sounded _and_ looked like they were really painful. Sweat pooled around his face as he struggled to fight his undoubtedly high fever and his body twitch now and then, like he wanted to wake up but there was a carnivore stopping him. Either that or he was having another feverish nightmare that he couldn't escape from.

In any case, the eleven-year-old boy hasn't truly woken up for three straight days now and though Mukuro says otherwise, Tsuna knew that Kyoya wasn't going to be fine. Tsuna could see that Kyoya was just getting worse and worse as the hours go by. And though he didn't want to admit it either, Tsuna knew that without a doctor or the proper medicine, Kyoya wasn't going to make it.

This was something Tsuna wasn't going to let happen. He loved his blood-thirsty, overprotective, strong, and brave older brother too much for that. Plus he and his other siblings have been through too much together for something like the flu to drive them apart. And Kyoya was clearly no exception. Tsuna was going to make sure his oldest brother survived, even if he had to take a few risks and break a rule to do it.

So after a second of deep breaths to steel his resolve, Tsuna got up and looked at Hayato, wondering if he should wake him up so that Hayato knew where he was going and keep an eye on Kyoya for him. After a brief debate with himself, Tsuna decided to not wake Hayato up. His brother would just try to stop him, no matter how devoted the silver-haired child was to him. And time was of the essence, if Tsuna wanted to save Kyoya, he would have to go _now_. Even if it meant that Kyoya might have to be left unsupervised for a few minutes.

"I will save you Kyoya. I promise," Tsuna said softly before charging out of the cave without looking back once. If he had, Tsuna would have seen Kyoya weakly reaching out for him.

 **ouch...that last sentence man...just ouch. In any case...did you like this one-shot? Do you want to see what happens next/more from this AU? Or just a different one-shot altogether? Whatever your opinion is, please tell me in a review and I will see what I can do! Till then, good luck with your endeavors!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews!**

 **Guest: Perhaps and yes, they are too adorable too die...but that doesn't mean they can't:). In all seriousness though, just keep on reading to find out.**

 **I don't own KHR**

Hayato grunted as he slowly but surely woke up, his green eyes fluttering as he did so. When he was finally truly alert to his surroundings, he fully opened his eyes and looked down at Lambo, who was still peacefully sleeping.

"Did you kick me when you were sleeping or something?" muttered Hayato, having a feeling that something or someone woke him up instead of him waking up naturally.

"Hay…ato…Hayato…" called a familiar voice that too weak and soft to belong to its owner. Hayato's eyes went wide with realization as he quickly shot up, though he was careful to not jostle Lambo too much. He quickly sought for his sibling that voice belonged to and sure enough, Kyoya was weakly reaching out for him, his usually observant eyes unfocused.

"Kyoya!" Hayato cried out worryingly as he quickly but gently laid Lambo down and raced towards his older brother. When he reached his side, Hayato dropped to his knees and grabbed Kyoya's trembling and sweaty hand into his own.

"I'm here Kyoya, what's the matter, what do you need me to do?" Hayato asked, his heart twisting with pain in his chest. Because even though it has been a bit more than a week since Kyoya had fallen ill, Hayato still hasn't figure out a way to be truly help him. Sure, Kyoya got on his nerves from time to time but isn't that what being brothers were all about? And besides, Kyoya was strong and stubborn; he wasn't supposed to get ill like this. It just wasn't right.

"Tsu…Tsuna…" Kyoya managed to say through gritted teeth, his gray eyes trying to focus on his younger brother as he clasped Hayato's hand tightly.

"Tsuna?" asked Hayato, confused. "But I'm not…wait. Where's Tsuna?!"

Hayato, his heart now thumping with fear, looked around the cave wildly, only to find that his precious brother was nowhere in sight. Hayato then had the thought that Tsuna probably went to the bathroom but he quickly dismissed it. Kyoya looked quite distressed and Tsuna promised him before he took his much needed nap (he didn't sleep too well last night for…reasons) that he wouldn't leave Kyoya's side and that he would alert him if he needed help. And Tsuna was never one to break a promise. Even if it meant to answer the call of nature.

"He…he left…h-hasn't come…b-back…" answered Kyoya before entering a body-whacking coughing session. Hayato automatically lifted his older brother up and rubbed his back while he stared at the cave's only entrance, desperately hoping that Tsuna will choose that moment to come back. He didn't. Hayato had a brief thought that he should go look for his missing brother, but he was forced to quickly dismiss it. Kyoya and Lambo couldn't take care of themselves, which meant that someone had to watch over them. And Hayato was the only one who fit the bill at the moment.

"Where did he go?" asked Hayato with a quivering voice as he looked down, only to find that Kyoya's eyes were closed and his body still. So still in fact that it reminded Hayato of the way his Father looked like when he laid in that awful black coffin at the funeral.

"Kyoya?" Hayato nearly whispered, hoping, no, inwardly pleading for Kyoya to not be dead, to not leave them, to not force him and the others to bury him six feet under. Then Kyoya let out another harsh cough that whacked his body before settling against Hayato's chest, his breathing raspy and heavy.

Hayato let out a shaky sigh of relief even though Kyoya was still in great pain and still deadly ill. Because at least he wasn't dead. Yet. Hayato instinctively held Kyoya as he looked up again, and hoped desperately that Tsuna would chose to come back at that moment. And when he didn't, Hayato bit his lip in order to keep control of his swirling emotions.

"Tsuna…please come back. Please be okay. I…I don't want to lose one brother, let alone two! I can't!" Despite his best efforts, a few tears escaped Hayato's eyes, as anxiety and fear began to cause a true fierce storm inside of him.

 **So...that may or may not have answered any questions but it did show Hayato's and Kyoya's relationship. So, how did you like it? Please tell me in review and I will update as soon as I can (which could be pretty soon, since it's actually already written. I just want to look over it first). Till then, good luck with your endeavors!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow, there is certainly a good bit of favorites and followers! I'm glad you all liked this so far!**

 **I don't own KHR.**

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Tsuna made it past through the forest and into town, which wasn't that busy thankfully. The less people there were, the more likely Tsuna won't get distracted and be able to find out exactly why his intuition led him here. Of course, with not that many people around, there was a higher chance he could get kidnapped, or as Mukuro phrased it, 'caught by predators.'

While Tsuna didn't know what Mukuro meant exactly by predators (Ryohei distracted him with an extreme game of hide-and-seek before he could ask), he certainly didn't want to be taken away from his family. It was one of his (and his siblings) worst fears that one day someone will discover that all of them were just a bunch of orphans living in a cave and thus, separate them. It was the main reason why they didn't go to the doctor when it became obvious that Kyoya's flu wasn't the common cold. Well, that and the fact that all of them were more or less distrustful of doctors after living in the orphanage (though in Mukuro's case, the orphanage only confirmed to him that all doctors were evil in one way or another).

So it was with a wary and watchful eye that Tsuna walked through the town, his head constantly moving around so that he wouldn't miss anything that could save Kyoya. But after five minutes of walking, Tsuna couldn't help but wonder if he had gotten here too late. His intuition wasn't telling him where to go next _and_ Tsuna didn't leave the cave as soon as his trustworthy intuition told him to.

"THAT'S IT!" an unfamiliar manly voice yelled just as a mixture of fear, regret, guilt, and sorrow began to threaten to consume little Tsunayoshi. "I'M SICK OF THIS!"

Curious, Tsuna looked up and saw that a middle-aged man with gray streaks in his blond hair was leaning out of a window. There was a crazed expression on his face and he was holding a suitcase in his hands.

"I'M SICK OF EVERYONE SAYING THEY WANT TO BE MY FRIEND, MY LOVER, OR MY MAMA ONLY FOR ME TO FIND OUT THEY JUST WANT MY FORTUNE! IF YOU WANT IT THAT BAD, COME AND GET IT OUT YOU HEARTLESS LOUTS!" The man then opened the suitcase and dumped its contents all over the street below. The contents were none other than green bills.

His mind not yet registering what was happening, Tsuna's mouth dropped open as the bills slowly fell to the ground. Then, like the brain freezes he used to get before his parents died (they took him out for ice cream a lot), it hit him. This guy was giving money away, money that he could use to buy medicine for Kyoya. This is why his intuition told him to come here! This really was the only way to save Kyoya!

"Thank you intuition! And thank you mister! I hope you find true happiness!" Tsuna cried as he raced forward, intent on catching as many bills as he possibly can.

 **Yeah, it's short but hopefully some questions have been answered. And don't worry, the next one-shot will be longer. Though when that is...I don't know since it's time that I face _I Can't Do This Again._ But maybe, if I have a whole ton of reviews, I will find time to update by this weekend;) In any case, I hope you all liked it!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Guest: Thanks!**

 **hiug: Thanks and I can't wait to see/write what happens either!**

 **I don't own KHR.**

As Ryohei and his other dear siblings got closer and closer to the cave, the pit of dread grew bigger and bigger in Ryohei's stomach. He extremely tried to stop it, he really did, but no matter how many times he told himself that Kyoya would be alive when they returned, Ryohei was faced with a stark reminder of the past.

The ten year-old had been eight when his precious little sister Kyoko lay dying of Leukemia on a white hospital bed. Even though everyone told him that she was going to die, Ryohei refused to accept that his sister wouldn't survive. As such, he did everything he could to help his sister, whether it was to press the red button to call the doctor, read stories to her, or just hold her hand.

Then one day, Kyoko expressed her wish that she could have some cake from her favorite cake shop. Ryohei, who happened to have his weekly allowance in his pocket, immediately declared that he was extremely going to buy a piece of cake for her, Leukemia be darned. Kyoko then gave him that bright smile of hers, and told him that she would be waiting patiently for him. Ryohei then raced off to the cake shop and after buying the special of the day, raced back to the hospital only to find that Kyoko hadn't waited for him. After a long time of battling Leukemia, Kyoko finally passed away with a peaceful smile on her face, which instead warming Ryohei's heart like usual, the smile broke it.

Hence why Ryohei was afraid of what he was going to find back at the cave. Kyoya just looked so _frail_ , just like Kyoko did that fateful day. And while Ryohei still had hope that Kyoya was going to make it, he now knows that it wasn't wise to deny the possibility that everything won't work out. Which meant that Kyoya could very well be… _dead_ and Ryohei would have missed being by his sibling's side at that crucial moment _again._ Ryohei extremely didn't want that to be the case. He actually wasn't sure if he could take it if it did.

"Ah, there it is," said Takeshi with a relieved smile, as he readjusted his plastic bread bag, which was full of berries. "I was actually beginning to wonder if we were lost or something." Ryohei looked up from the big pile of wood he was carrying and saw their home in the distance.

"Did you doubt that I didn't know where we were Takeshi?" asked Mukuro, an eyebrow raised while sounding slightly offended.

"Oh no," Takeshi assured him truthfully. "It's just that…treks back home have never been this long before."

"But we didn't travel that far," Mukuro pointed out, now sounding confused instead of offended.

"Takeshi, I think that it just seemed long because we didn't talk to each other as usual," Chrome explained softly as she readjusted her own bread bag full of berries. There was a moment of solemn silence after that. Ryohei sighed when he realized that his little sister was right.

Before, whenever they left the cave whether it was to go to town or to scavenge from the forest, he and his siblings would always talk, argue, and laugh with each other. But in this scavenger hunt, there was hardly any talking, let alone laughing or teasing. And Ryohei knew he wasn't the only one who knew the reason why.

"Haha, I guess so," Takeshi finally said with a fake smile, obviously an attempt to lighten the mood. Which worked…somewhat. Unfortunately, the threat that they were too close to losing one of their own was just too great to be eased by a simple laugh.

Then once again, Ryohei was brought out of his musings when they finally left the forest and entered the clearing where their home resided in. And once Takeshi and Chrome saw it, they took off towards the cave, their bags full of berries flying behind them as they ran. While Mukuro didn't run, he did walk a good bit faster than he did just a few minutes earlier.

As for Ryohei himself…if he had never promised himself that he will always do things to the extreme, there was a good chance he would actually be walking slower right now. But Ryohei was never one to back down so he walked as briskly as he could, despite the apprehension and dread he felt.

"Please Kyoya…please don't let me find you dead," Ryohei pleaded under his breath as he clenched his pile of wood tighter. "Please be alive, please stay alive, please get better…I…I don't want to lose another sibling…not again. So please. Stay alive to the extreme. Please."

Then finally, after what seemed like an extreme eternity to Ryohei, he entered the cave just before Mukuro did. And what he saw made his heart skip a beat and his blood froze. Ryohei barely noticed the clatter of Mukuro dropping his pile of wood as he stared at his two precious brothers before him. Hayato, who looked like he was seconds away from crying, was holding a very pale and still Kyoya tightly in his little arms.

"Hayato…Kyoya…he's not...he's alive right? You're just hugging him in an attempt to make him feel better…right?" Takeshi asked as he took a few steps forward to the duo, his voice quivering and desperate. Hayato then blinked as if he was confused and looked down at their older brother. Meanwhile, Ryohei's heart leapt to his throat as the memory of finding his parents sobbing over his sister's body ran through his mind. Did…did it really happen again? Did he really extremely fail being there for his sibling when they needed him the most again?

"Oh no, Kyoya's still alive," Hayato finally answered, comprehension lighting up his face. And like a wave on a sandy beach, relief washed over Ryohei, despite the fact that Kyoya was still in danger of dying. Because Ryohei was certain that Kyoya was still alive now, that he still had a chance to survive. Because if anyone can beat the flu, it would be his extreme brother. But then Hayato continued.

"But Tsuna's missing! I was taking a nap and when I woke up…he was gone! I'm sorry…I'm so sorry!" And while Hayato finally broke down and cried, all the relief Ryohei felt extremely left him.

 **And boom, there it is! See, I told you that this one was going to be longer. But...now what? What's going to happen next? Well, read on to find out! And please, PLEASE don't forget to leave a review! Really, they are like cookies to me and help me to improve my writing skills. Till next time, smile and never give up hope!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't own KHR.**

Tsuna had never had so much money in his pockets in his entire life. The man at the window wasn't kidding when he said he had a fortune. Because even though Tsuna had to compete with quite a few adults for the bills, there was still plenty of enough money for him to grab. And it also helped that the rich (now poor) man had thrown items like pens and staplers at the people that tried to push Tsuna out of the way. Apparently he appreciated Tsuna's gratitude.

In any case, Tsuna was certain that during the money shower he had grabbed, not one, but _two_ one-hundred euros! He had at least two-hundred euros in his pocket! Two hundred euros would definitely be enough to save Kyoya! There will even be enough money left over to buy food and other things Tsuna's family needed! Once again, Tsuna was glad that he had listened to his intuition. Sure, he was going to be in trouble once he got back home but it all would be worth it once Kyoya starts getting better.

Now all he needed to do was find the nearest pharmacy (Ryohei taught him that word!), buy the medicine, and go home! So with a smile and a joyful bounce to his step, Tsuna started searching for a pharmacy as the sun was more than halfway through its descent. It didn't take him long to find a small red-brick one called Ricky's Drug Store. As soon as he saw it Tsuna raced inside, his smile growing when he saw all the different kinds of medicine inside.

"The medicine Kyoya needs must…wait. What do I need to get?" Tsuna asked himself, worry creeping into his young voice. Tsuna had been so excited to get medicine for his older brother that he never stopped what _kind_ he needed to survive. The nine-year-old desperately thought hard about what his Mom gave him when he had the flu only to realize that he didn't _know_. He never thought to ask what he was taking; he only cared that he would get better soon so that he play in the park again. And now he was paying the price for it.

And to make matters worse, Tsuna remembered that he wasn't even sure what Kyoya _had_. It seemed like the flu, but if there was one thing Tsuna was certain about the sickness, it was that it was catching. And even though Tsuna and the others have been near Kyoya for the last week or so, they have yet to have gotten sick. So was it the flu, and Tsuna and the rest of his family have just been really lucky? Or was it something else that can be just as deadly?

"Hello there, how can I help you?" asked a kind deep voice. A bit startled, Tsuna flinched as he automatically looked upwards to find a tall, thin man with mousy brown hair and brown eyes.

"I…" stuttered Tsuna, not sure on what to say and because he wasn't the best with talking to strange grown up men face to face.

"Ah, don't be shy, I don't bite," assured the pharmacist (Ryohei also taught him that one) gently. Tsuna looked closely and found that the middle-age man's gentle smile seemed genuine and his intuition quietly whispered to him that he could be trusted. So Tsuna took a deep breath and thought over on what he should ask.

"I…my brother is sick and my Mom asked me to buy medicine for him. She's busy watching over him. May you please help me find it?" Tsuna partly lied, making sure to wear a small smile and make his caramel eyes go slightly wide. The adults (except for the most of the ones at the orphanage) seemed to be more willing to do what he asked or believe him more whenever he did it.

"Of course little one," accepted the pharmacist with a nod. Tsuna's cute weapon (as dubbed by Kyoya, Mukuro, and Takeshi) was victorious once again. "What is your poor brother sick with?"

"We…we're not sure," admitted Tsuna nervously. "We…thought it was just the flu, but the rest of us haven't gotten sick yet and he just keeps on coughing..."

"Has your Mom taken your brother to the doctor yet?" asked the man in a kind and concerned voice. Tsuna took a quick moment to think about what he should say next before shaking his head.

"No…but she's going to this afternoon," Tsuna answered, hoping that this would please the adult. Kyoya often muttered about how adults often poke their noses where it didn't belong if they have the slightest hint that something in their opinion wasn't right. _Especially_ when it came to children. Tsuna wasn't sure if he could keep on lying if the adult kept questioning him about his 'Mom' and the 'doctor visit.' The brown-haired boy didn't have to worry long before the older man asked another question.

"And your Mom sent you here to get cold medicine?" Tsuna couldn't help but to let out a small sigh of relief. This was a question he could answer.

"Yep!" Tsuna exclaimed. The man then nodded.

"Well, I haven't seen your brother but it sounds like he might have pneumonia instead of the flu."

"A-Ammonia?" Tsuna squeaked out, fear clenching his heart with an icy fist. That sounded way worse that the flu! "Is Ky…my brother gonna to die?"

"Oh no no," assured the man quickly while trying to suppress what suspiciously looked like laughter. " _Pneumonia_ is quite curable."

Before Tsuna could feel pure relief from that statement, the pharmacist continued.

"All your brother needs is some antibiotics from the doctor and he'll be good as new!" Tsuna felt his blood turn into ice and butterflies of anxiety fluttering crazily in his stomach. What was he supposed to do? Kyoya was dying but Tsuna knew that his big brother would rather die than let his family become separated. And that's what will surely happen if Tsuna let a doctor into the cave. But Tsuna really didn't want Kyoya to die…maybe if Tsuna just paid the doctor to keep his mouth shut with the money he just got…

"Of course, home or over-the-counter remedies will help too," added the pharmacist. And with that, Tsuna's frozen blood melted and the butterflies in his stomach calmed down. If what the pharmacist said was true, which Tsuna had a good feeling that it was, then they really didn't need a doctor. Kyoya was the strongest person he knew, and Tsuna was sure some regular medicine was all the help his brother needed to bite that illness to death. Not that anti…whatever the man said the doctor would give him.

"Oh thank goodness," Tsuna couldn't help but say out of relief and a smile. Things were still going to be okay after all.

"So, do you want me to show you where the cold medicine and the Tylenol are now?" asked the pharmacist with a warm smile. Tsuna nodded eagerly and before he knew it, he was following the nice man through the small but wonderful store.

KHR

Tsuna shivered as he clutched the plastic bag closer to him. After he brought the medicine (with some helpful suggestions from the pharmacist, whose name he found out was Tony), Tsuna immediately ran out of the pharmacy, wanting to get back home as soon as possible. In his haste and joy, the little boy didn't notice that the sun was setting and the air around him had a twilight glint to them. If he had, he would have taken the longer but much safer route. Not the quicker route that required him going through a narrow alley.

 **I was planning to make this chapter a bit longer/have a different ending but this ended up happening and...I think I like this better. Please tell me if you liked this chapter or not and I will update...probably sometime soon after I update _I Can't Do This Again._ So, hopefully before the end of January. In any case, please leave a review and have a good day/night!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello, I'm back! Here's the next installment!**

 **Guest: Why thank you!**

 **I don't own KHR.**

It was times like these that Mukuro wished he hadn't gotten attached again. Being alone was way better than having your heart getting squeezed and twisted into oblivion right? But then like before, he was reminded of Chrome's smile, Tsuna's hugs, Takeshi's laugh, Kyoya's protective glare, Ryohei's optimism, Hayato's cleverness, and Lambo's joy. And just like before, Mukuro found that he didn't really regret becoming close to all of them at the orphanage. Even Kyoya.

That didn't mean however that he was going to let Tsuna off the hook when he finds him though. Oh heck no. They were all going through too much right now what with Kyoya…being sick to have Tsuna suddenly go AWOL (he learnt that one from the scientists when they were just figuring out that something was terribly wrong at their 'precious' facility. Kufufu).

When Hayato informed them that Tsuna had disappeared while he was taking a nap, Mukuro pushed his anxiety (from the news) and relief (that Kyoya was actually still alive, not that he will ever admit it) aside and after some quick deliberation, gave orders. He instructed that Chrome stay behind in the cave while Takeshi and Hayato search the woods around the cave, on the condition that the two boys will go back to the cave once it gets dark. With or without Tsuna.

Then Mukuro told the others that he and Ryohei will go into town and look for him there. This is where he was now, alone in the middle of town, with no pointy-brown-haired boy in sight. He and Ryohei split up when they reached town in hopes that they will find Tsuna faster, but so far, no luck. Unless one of the others has found him but Mukuro doubted it. Chrome hasn't contacted him saying that Tsuna came back to the cave (by himself or with Hayato and Takeshi) and Ryohei isn't yelling and racing towards him.

"Tsuna!" Mukuro cried despite the risk of unwanted attention. There was no wonderful answer. Mukuro sighed. He could deal with thugs or nosy adults, not with Tsuna…being gone for an indefinite amount of time. Tsuna had to be found. How else can he look Chrome in the eye after promising her that they were going to bring him back? Or Kyoya for that matter?

"Tsunayoshi!" cried Mukuro as his anxiety grew to the point that the ten-year-old boy could feel it closing up his throat slightly. Mukuro took a deep breath which eased his anxiety but honestly, not by much.

"What in the world were you thinking?" Mukuro muttered to himself as his eyes darted around his surroundings much how a fly darts around inside of a car with all the doors and windows closed. "Tsunayoshi!"

Once again, there was no answer. As a result, the image of finding Tsuna lying in an alleyway, blood on his body and his brown eyes open and unseeing, ran through his mind. Mukuro gritted his teeth and shook his head in an attempt to shake away the image.

"Tsunayoshi!" cried Mukuro, a hint of panic in his voice as he looked all around him. But he neither saw nor heard his little brother, only the stares of the lingering townspeople and their unimportant mutterings. And if that wasn't enough make his panic grow; Mukuro noticed that the sky was getting darker by the second.

Then, truly unbidden and unwanted, a memory from his past came to the forefront of Mukuro's mind. He was being led to yet another horrible experiment when he saw them. Going the opposite way, a scientist was dragging two children by the collars of their shirts. Two children who were clearly dead if their blank open eyes, their blood on their clothes, and their limp bodies were any indication. Two children that were no other than his dear cellmates, Ken and Chikusa.

"Gah!" grunted Mukuro as he immediately put his hands on his head and stopped the memory on his tracks. "Calm down, that's not going to happen to Tsuna, I won't let it!"

KHR

Tsuna had reached the middle of the alleyway when suddenly; a middle-aged man with shaggy dirty-blond hair and an ear piercing stepped out in front of him. Tsuna had no choice but to stop in his tracks.

"Hey boy, how are ya doin'?" the stranger asked, with an eerie smile. Tsuna's joy was instantly replaced with fear and apprehension.

"Ah…I…" Tsuna began to stutter as he peered behind him. When he did, the young boy saw that the way he came from was blocked by two other men, one burly and the other really thin but with a creepy grin. What was he thinking, taking this particular shortcut home, especially when it was going to be night soon?! And how didn't he notice earlier that it was twilight now?!

"Oh, don't worry, there's nothin' to be afraid of," the first stranger continued as he took a step forward. Tsuna instinctively took a step backwards only to have someone behind him roughly push him forwards again. "We just wanna know what's in the bag."

"Yeah, we're mighty curious," added a gruff voice that after Tsuna looked behind him, saw that it belonged to the burly one.

"Curious as cats," added the third scary stranger. Tsuna gulped as he clutched the plastic bag like it was his lifeline. What…what should he do? They can't have the medicine; it's the only way to save Kyoya! But…but maybe if Tsuna just tells them its medicine, they will leave him alone! It's not like its food or something expensive, like leather pants!

"Medicine," answered Tsuna softly but clearly. " _Yucky_ medicine."

But instead of a disappointed grunt or anything like that, the stranger's smile only grew wider.

"Oooooo, what kind?" the skinny one asked as Tsuna's blood began to freeze.

"Who cares? We still hit the jackpot!" the burly one exclaimed. Tsuna's breath got caught in his throat as he clutched the bag even tighter. What…what should he do?

"Now boys, calm down, we're scarin' the little rascal," the first man said in a fake chastising voice as he put a hand up. Then he bent over till he was at Tsuna's eye level. "Sorry about them boy, they've been awful sick for a while now, and it'll be really helpful if ya gave us your medicine."

"Yeah, we're *cough* dying over here!" added the skinny mugger with a fake cough. He let out another fake cough while the big one gave a few fake coughs of his own. What should he do? Thanks to Kyoya's and the others' help, Tsuna knows how to fight, but he was alone against three big adults _and_ he has Kyoya's medicine in his hands. But…

"So what about it kid?" asked the first mugger as he put his hand out. "Wanna be super nice and give us your medicine?"

But he can't give them the medicine! He just can't!

"No!" declared Tsuna before punching the man's nose with all of his strength. The man yells in pain as he stumbles backwards, his hands flying to his nose. If Tsuna also saw a flash of orange flames, he didn't take the time to wonder about it. Instead, seeing his chance, the nine-year-old ran like the wind.

However, he didn't get far before someone grabbed him by the back of his shirt and threw him harshly to the ground. A painful shock went up Tsuna's spine and he felt the breath get knocked out of him, causing him to start gasping desperately for air.

"Ya little punk! How dare ya do that to me?!" raged the injured mobster, his nose bleeding and obviously broken (Kyoya broke a lot noses back at the orphanage). "Especially after I've been so nice to ya!"

If Tsuna wasn't trying to get his breathing back under control, he would've snorted at that.

"Kids these days are just a bunch of spoiled brats, right Mike?" asked the skinny one of the burly one.

"Yep, but I believe they can be saved. They just need to be taught the golden rule," responded Mike as he menacingly cracked his knuckles. "So what about it Ricky? Want me to teach him the golden rule?"

Tsuna, who was breathing much better now, gulped as he held the bag close to him. This is it…they're going to beat me up, maybe even kill me, take Kyoya's medicine and then Kyoya will…

" _Don't_ _you even think about answering yes._ "

Tsuna gasped at the threatening voice and with hope, looked up. His hope was fulfilled when he saw Mukuro standing at the end of the alleyway, his trident out and looking absolutely _murderous._ However, despite the fact that Tsuna could feel Mukuro's bloodlust all the way from here, he knew everything was going to be alright now. Even though Mukuro was going to have his hide after he dealt with the thugs.

 **Go Mukuro go! So...how was it? Did it make sense and were Tsuna and Mukuro in character? Please tell me whatever you thought about this chapter in a review and I will update...hopefully sooner rather than later! Have a good night/day!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't own KHR.**

It didn't take long to defeat those… _thugs_. All it took was one lava geyser and the men who dared to gang up on his brother were pretty much out. Of course, that didn't stop Mukuro from giving them a few good whacks each for good measure, but that was beside the point.

It was only when he was sure that the poor excuses for human beings would learn their lesson that Mukuro turned his attention to his younger brother. Tsuna was now sitting up, looking both relieved and apprehensive as he clutched a plastic shopping bag close to his chest. Mukuro sighed before he walked over to him.

"Are you alright?" Mukuro asked, his heterochromatic eyes inspecting Tsuna up and down for any injuries.

"Mhm," responded Tsuna with a nod, his hands fidgeting with the bag as his brown eyes began darting around, obviously nervous.

"Good…" Mukuro sighed as he kneeled down to Tsuna's level, all anxiety finally washing away knowing that his brother really was safe and sound.

But of course that only meant there was nothing stopping his agitation and other similar negative feelings from coming to the frontlines.

"Now I'm only going to ask this once…" Mukuro started before suddenly grabbing Tsuna's shoulders. "WHAT IN THE HECK WERE YOU THINKING?!"

And if he sort of shook Tsuna like a rag doll…well…Tsuna can take it.

"I'm sorry! I…" Tsuna tried to apologize but unfortunately for him, Mukuro was on a roll.

"Do you know how worried I and the others were?! I mean, you just left without saying anything!"

"I know but…"

"But what?! What could so important, that you just had to break the most important rule?!"

"My intuition told me to!"

And just like that, Mukuro stopped ranting and shaking his little brother.

"What?" he finally asked after a moment of silence, wondering if he heard right. Because if there was one thing Mukuro learned to never question, it was Tsuna's intuition. Mukuro didn't know exactly why it was, but Tsuna's intuition was _never_ wrong. It always gotten them out of tough situations or warned them of bad things yet to come.

So why did it tell Tsuna to go town by himself?

"While Hayato was asleep with Lambo and you and the others were searching for berries and firewood, my intuition came and told me that I needed to go to town right away," explained Tsuna, rushing his words a bit as he fumbled in his pockets with one hand while the other was still clutching the plastic bag. "Because it was the only way to save Kyoya!"

"The only way…to save…" Mukuro slowly repeated, bewildered more than ever. And if that wasn't enough, he was also feeling something that he couldn't quite name, though it felt a good bit like dread. If going Tsuna going to town really was the only way to save Kyoya then…Kyoya really was that close to…

"And good thing too, because when I arrived, there was a nice rich man who started throwing all his money away!" Tsuna furthered explained as he took out a wad of cash out of his pocket.

"Seriously?" asked a dumbfounded Mukuro, even though he knew that Tsuna wasn't a lair.

"Seriously!" confirmed Tsuna with a sharp nod as he put the wad of money back in his pocket. Then he reached into the plastic bag and pulled a hand-sized item out.

"So I used some of the money to buy Kyoya medicine!"

Mukuro was rendered speechless as he stared at the packet of medicine. It wasn't that he hadn't thought about acquiring medicine, far from it actually. He actually debated heavily with himself and a bit with Ryohei about whether they should steal the medicine or not, since Kyoya was heavily against them becoming thieves or just general disturbances in the community. Even Hayato volunteered his services when the others weren't in earshot.

But in the end, they had decided against stealing the medicine. It wasn't because they feared Kyoya's wrath, because the boys would rather have their older brother beat them up than have him…leave them forever. Instead the reason was that they honestly didn't know what medicine to get. Without a diagnosis from a doctor (which was always out of the question in Mukuro's book), they didn't know whatever it was that Kyoya had. So even if they did steal medicine…it could only end up making Kyoya even worse.

"Tsuna…" Mukuro said, wondering how he was going to explain that Tsuna's efforts might very well be for nothing.

"And don't worry, I talked with the owner and he told me which medicine to get!" continued Tsuna, way less nervous than he was before. In fact, the boy's honey-brown eyes were just about cheerful and optimistic looking.

"You…you talked to the owner?" asked Mukuro, honestly not sure how he felt about his little brother talking with a strange adult at this point in time. Oh who was he kidding, he definitely wasn't happy about it.

"He came to me…but it's okay, he's nice!" assured Tsuna with a wave of his hands, as if his explanation made everything better. "And…and he figured out that Kyoya probably has Ammonia and showed me where the cold medicine was!"

Ammonia? What the heck is Ammonia?

"Isn't this great Mukuro? Now we can save Kyoya!" For a moment, Mukuro didn't say anything. Because while this…'nice' owner apparently 'figured' out what Kyoya had, it wasn't like he actually saw Kyoya and all of his symptoms himself. So how could the owner be sure?

But then again…Tsuna's intuition led him to getting the medicine. And even if it hadn't, Tsuna went through too much trouble to get the medicine to not at least try using it. And honestly at this point…what did they have to lose.

"Kufufu…" Mukuro chuckled as he absentmindedly wiped a stray piece of blue hair away from his forehead. "Well…then what we waiting for?"

Tsuna then showed Mukuro his signature beaming smile, which almost made the older boy want to turn away because it was so bright and warm.

"Nothing!" exclaimed Tsuna.

"You're still in trouble though," reminded Mukuro as he stood up and held out a hand to Tsuna, who immediately took it.

"Oh I know," stated Tsuna as Mukuro helped him stand up.

"TSUUUNAAA!" Before they could even react, Tsuna was suddenly on the ground again with a very relieved Ryohei on top of him. And as Tsuna reassured him that yes, he was okay and started explaining once again why he left the cave, Mukuro couldn't help but hope. That everything really was going to be okay now, that Tsuna's hopes really weren't going to crash to the ground, and that…Kyoya really wasn't going to die.

 **So...what do you think? Please tell me whatever you thought of this chapter in a review and I will make sure to update rather than later! Till then, have a good night/day!**

 **P.S. As of this moment...I am taking prompts! So if you have any ideas about the our favorite characters as kids that you want me to write, I will see what I can do! Just please no romance...I'm not willing to step on that minefield.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Guest: Why thank you! I hope you will like this chapter, as well a certain upcoming chapter ;) *hint* Look at the bottom of the page.**

 **I don't own KHR.**

Breathe in…breathe out. Why was something…that was so easy before…so… _difficult_ for him now?

Breathe in…breath out. Tsuna…is Tsuna okay?

Cough…hack….cough. Oh…why did it…hurt his chest so much? He is a carnivore…a simple cough…shouldn't hurt this much!

Breathe in…breathe out. Is…Tsuna back at the cave yet? Did…they find him yet?

Breathe in…breathe out. Why…why did Tsuna leave?

Cough…hack. Ugh…his chest…it burns...

Breathe in…breathe out. No matter…how hard…keep on breathing…can't give up…

Breathe in…breathe out. Father…Mother…please...please don't take Tsuna away…from me…from us…

Breathe in…breathe out. Can't die…can't…can't leave any of them behind…

Cough. Tsuna…please…please be okay…

Breathe in…breathe out. Wait…was he…being held…against someone's chest?

Breathe in…breathe out. There were voices now…but…but no matter what…he…he couldn't understand them…

Breathe in…breathe out. Wait…there was one voice very close to him…and it sounded…could it?

Breathe in…breathe out. Someone slipped…two? Yes, two small…somethings into his mouth, which landed softly on his tongue.

Breathe in…breathe out. Someone gave him some…water, which he swallowed. The small things on his tongue disappeared.

Breathe in…breathe out. That one voice spoke again, and Kyoya felt a hand brush some…hair off his forehead.

Cough…cough. His chest still burned, but…that voice…that hand…could…could it be….

Breathe in…breathe out. T-Tsuna?

Before Kyoya could find the answer to that question, the void claimed him and he knew no more.

KHR

The first thing he became aware of was that it didn't hurt to breathe as much it did before. He also didn't feel so cold anymore and his mind wasn't as foggy. And it was right when Kyoya made these observations that he noticed that something feeling very similar to an arm was draped across his chest, gently yet firmly.

Of course wanting to know who the arm belonged to, Kyoya cracked opened his gray eyes. His surroundings were a bit blurry at first, but he wasn't a carnivore for nothing. After about two good harsh blinks, Kyoya's vision was as clear as it was before he had fallen ill. So without wasting another moment, Kyoya turned his head.

The arm belonged to Tsuna. His young omnivore, his little brother, the first one he let past his icy barriers after his parents, was sleeping right next to him, safe and sound. His face was peaceful, like he didn't just leave the safety of the cave without coming back right away.

And even though Kyoya wanted to know what made his brother do something like that, he decided that it could wait. So with a contented sigh, Kyoya slowly slipped his arm out from under Tsuna's and used it to pull the small boy closer to him. While he didn't wake up, Tsuna did immediately snuggle against Kyoya much like how a kitten snuggles against its mother. It was honestly quite adorable, even though Kyoya will never admit it.

With a small smile, Kyoya then lightly ruffled Tsuna's hair before he went back to sleep himself. It's not like he couldn't bite Tsuna to death later for worrying him after all.

 **So...what did you all think? Was Kyoya in character? How did this chapter flow as a whole? Because I have to admit...this chapter felt a bit weird to me. Maybe it's because I haven't written in a while, or maybe I'm just paranoid again. In any case, please leave a review and I promise that I will update sooner rather than later (so...within a month? Hopefully).**

 **As a heads up though, the next chapter is going to be an omake kind of deal, since one of you dear readers gave me a prompt! And as promised, I'm going to take it up! And then the chapter after that is going to go into Takeshi's backstory in this universe, since that was both a request and something I've wanted to cover anyway. And with that, au revoir!**


	9. Omake 1

**Alright, the first omake is finally here! I wrote in a response to Beasttamer99's prompt, _what if the tenth generation found their box animals and the box animals in turn raised them?_ I hope you are pleased with this chapter Beasttamer99!**

 **Guest: Me too:)**

 **Ana: Why thank you! :D**

 **I don't own KHR.**

There are many different kinds of alternate dimensions out there. There are several where Tsuna didn't have friends till he met Reborn, and there are quite a bit where he became best friends with Takeshi at preschool. In one dimension Tsuna grew up in Italy with his parents and in another he was forced to fend for himself on the streets. There is one dimension, however, where animals made up of the Dying Will Flames of the Sky, or Elementals, look for human partners to help bring peace to the world.

 _A First meeting_

Roll made a sound of contentment as he nibbled on some unlucky insects alone. While most Elementals in this situation would be sad that they didn't have a human partner or another friendly Elemental to travel with, Roll was fine. Maybe it was because he was a Cloud Elemental, famous for being solitary creatures, but Roll didn't desire any sort of company right now. It wasn't that he wouldn't mind a human partner, he just didn't need one.

Right as the hedgehog thought that, there was a ruffle nearby. Roll turned his head and wondered if the ruffling was the cause of a squirrel or a predator. Before he could wonder anymore on the matter, a small boy with gray eyes and ebony hair pushed past some bushes with little difficulty.

The boy, who looked like he was probably six or seven, was wearing clothes that looked like they haven't been cleaned in a long time. They were also too small for him, making it easy for Roll to see the various bruises and cuts on the boy's limbs. However, the thing that really caught Roll's attention was the big burnt mark on the young boy's forehead.

Did the boy get his injuries by accident? Or did he get them because of someone, or something else?

It was probably the latter.

While Roll was pondering this, the boy in question was looking around like he was deciding where to go next. Then his gray eyes landed on the Cloud Elemental. His eyes immediately widen in surprise that quickly turned into pure delight as his lips curved upward. The boy then turned till he was facing the little hedgehog before he sat down on the ground Indian-style.

Meanwhile, Roll was just staring at the boy, wondering what he should do. Should he help the injured boy or should he just let things be? It wasn't that he didn't want to help, but honestly, what could he do? It wasn't like he was a Sun or a Rain Elemental who could either take away or soothe the pain. He was a Cloud Elemental; wounds just weren't part of his forte.

Then the boy held out his hand. For a moment, Roll just stared at the hand, rather confused at the boy's action. Then like a lightning bolt, Roll understood. The boy wanted the hedgehog to come to him. Should…should he?

"It's okay," the boy said softly, still wearing a big, kind smile on his face. "I won't hurt you."

Well…a lick or two on the boy's hand should be fine right?

His mind decided, Roll trotted to the boy's outstretched hand. When he got there, he gave one last look at the boy's patient and happy face before lightly licking one of the boy's fingers.

As soon as he did, Roll's cloud flames flared up without his control just as a purple fire surrounded the boy's wrist, making him hiss with pain and surprise. Before Roll could panic, his flames died down to normal and the fire on the boy's wrist died as well. Only to reveal the purple imprint of a hedgehog on his wrist.

Well, what do you know. Roll found his human partner. And as he felt the boy's happiness through their new bond, Roll decided that he honestly didn't mind at all.

 _A First Meal_

For once in his life, Mukurowl didn't know what to do. After many years of trying not to care that he hadn't found a human partner yet, the Mist Elemental finally has one. And not just one, but _two_ human partners. When their souls first connected, Mukurowl was honestly confused but then after interacting with his partners for a bit, he realized that they were twins. While one partner is the standard, there have been cases where Elementals have had two partners because the pair of twins' souls were close enough in sync for both of them to bond with the Elemental. Mukurowl just didn't realize the two really thin children he found in the alleyway last night were actually twins, not just siblings.

And who can blame him? The boy was taller than the girl by a good bit. The boy, named Mukuro (Roll and his also new partner Kyoya gave him so much heat over that), also had short blue hair while the girl, named Chrome, had long purple hair. Mukuro had heterochromatic eyes (one red and one blue) while Chrome had purple eyes, or at least the owl thought so. One of Chrome's eyes was unfortunately covered with an eyepatch and he didn't feel comfortable yet to pry.

This brings Mukurowl back from his tangent of how the twins looked so different yet so similar and back on his problem: how to feed them. Normally, when humans and Elementals first find each other (especially when the humans are children), they will try to find a more experienced Elemental pair to teach and be a mentor to them.

But, Mukuro and Chrome were distrustful of strangers, adults in particular. And Mukurowl didn't blame them at all. From what he had been told (it touched him that _his_ partners trusted him so much already) Mukuro and Chrome had been sold to a nasty group of scientists that called themselves the Estraneo, but specialize on experimenting. On innocent defenseless children.

If Mukuro already hadn't taken care of them, Mukurowl definitely would have by now. Now that their souls were connected, no one was going to hurt _his_ kids and get away with it. No exceptions.

But with no elder Elemental pair to watch over them, it meant that getting food was going to be tricky. Roll, who was kind enough to watch them along with Kyoya while Mukurowl went off to search for food, suggested that they could share (apparently Kyoya was both a decent hunter and cook) but Mukurowl declined. Maybe not the smartest choice but Mukurowl at least wants to try a good number of times before he eats his pride.

And besides, worst case scenario, they will just survive on little mice and squirrels until Mukuro is recovered enough to be able to hunt efficiently. And maybe Chrome. Doubtful though, she seems to be too sweet to be able to kill a woodland creature in cold blood.

But that was a worst case scenario. His twins were way too thin and little to survive on little mice and tough squirrels and after what they been through...they deserved better.

Then suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, something moved. From his perch high on a tree branch, Mukurowl looked down and if the situation wasn't serious, would have tooted in joy. There was not one, but _two_ rabbits. One for each child. And they were nibbling at nearby greenery oblivious that a great hunter, an owl who had mist flames flickering all over his feathers, was watching them.

 _"I found food,"_ Mukuro told his twins proudly over their bond. _"Rabbits to be exact."_

 _"I never had rabbit before,"_ commented Chrome shyly, excitement seeping into her voice.

 _"Great, but please hurry up if you can. I want to be good like you said but it is getting harder by the minute to not taunt Kyoya. He is just gets so riled up,"_ confessed Mukuro. Mukurowl thought for a moment on that.

 _"Mukuro…just because I said be good doesn't mean that you can't have fun. Go right ahead, I will be there shortly,"_ Mukurowl granted as he ready his wings to fly at a moment's notice.

 _"Okay, see you Mukurowl,"_ his twins said cheerfully before going silent. Feeling both his and their contentment, Mukurowl smiled (or as well as he could considering that he has a beak) before he swooped down and caught his kids' meal in his sharp claws.

 _A First Contest_

"So what are we going to extremely do today?!" Ryohei asked him as they left the forest and entered the grassy field. Kangaryuu chuckled as she looked down on her extreme partner who was currently smiling wide with a bounce to his step as they continued moving forward. It was been two weeks since Kangaryuu found the orphan boy running on the trail in the park and the Sun Elemental has never been happier. Ryohei was everything Kangaryuu had hoped for in a partner, from being friendly and optimistic to being strong and determined.

 _"Well, do you know why I didn't have us run through the woods like usual?"_ the kangaroo with sun flames flickering from her tail and from the inside of her ears asked. Ryohei scrunched his face and didn't speak for a moment as the both of them stopped moving.

"Um…I extremely don't know," Ryohei admitted. Kangaryuu chuckled, fully expecting this honest answer.

 _"Well, it's so that we can save energy for our contest,"_ she answered. Ryohei's gray eyes admitted lighted up with uncontained joy.

"Really?! What kind of extreme contest?!" cried Ryohei as he couldn't help himself from bouncing up and down. The Sun Elemental laughed as she waved her paws in an attempt to calm the energetic boy down.

 _"Easy there, easy there,"_ she said with a smile as Ryohei managed to stop bouncing. Sort of. _"We are going to race each other."_

"To the extreme?!" exclaimed Ryohei as his hands curled into excited fists.

 _"Yes, of course!"_ agreed Kangaryuu before waving her paw towards the direction of the end of the field. _"Does running to the end of the field and back sound good to you?"_

"Extremely yes!" agreed Ryohei with a firm nod.

 _"Well, on your mark…"_ Both kangaroo and boy got ready to run. Or in Kangaryuu's case, to leap for a long distance.

"Get set…" Anticipation filled the Sun Elemental's soul as a determined grin showed itself on Ryohei's face.

 _"Go!"_ And with that, both Kangaryuu and Ryohei started racing to see who can beat each other, the other end of the field the only thing in their eyes. In no time, Kangaryuu had reached the end of the field and turned around to race to the other end. As she did so, she passed Ryohei and noticed that while he was far behind her, the young boy was still looking determined.

Before she knew it, Kangaryuu had reached the goal. She had won. Panting a bit, she turned around and saw that Ryohei had finally reached the end of the field and was now turning around.

Even though it was obvious that Ryohei knew that he had lost, Kangaryuu noticed that he was still running hard. He was going to extremely finish this no matter what. Kangaryuu couldn't be more proud.

" _Go Ryohei go!"_ cheered Kangaryuu as her partner got closer and closer. Before long, Ryohei finally reached the goal. As soon as he did, he plopped down on his bottom and tried to get his breathing back to normal. Kangaryuu hopped over till she was in front of her young partner and smiled down at him.

" _That was an extreme try Ryohei,"_ Kangaryuu complimented him. _"I'm proud of you."_

Ryohei didn't say anything, but he did give her a big bright smile. And that was more than enough for her. Especially when she felt Ryohei's usual happiness skyrocket through their bond.

" _Now c'mon, let's see what Roll and Mukurowl and their partners are doing,_ " Kangaryuu said as she bent down to pick up the still panting Ryohei and put him in her pouch.

"To…the…extreme!" Ryohei managed to say between pants as he made a fist and punched the air. Kangaryuu hummed in agreement as she hopped back into the forest. She really is happier than she has ever been.

 _A First Laugh_

Jirou, despite being a very optimistic Rain Elemental, was beginning to feel a bit…hopeless? No, that's not right…afraid? No that's not right either…nervous? Yeah, that's it. The small dog with rain flames coating the inside of his ears was just somewhat nervous.

It has been a few days since the young Rain Elemental bonded with Takeshi and when it first happened, Jirou thought he couldn't have been happier. He had been lucky enough to find his human partner reasonably young and he was really nice too! Takeshi laughed and smiled a lot and always scratched Jirou behind the ears whenever Jirou silently asked for it.

But then, after the initial excitement died down, Jirou noticed something was weird about the laughs and smiles. Right around then, Jirou felt Takeshi's emotions through their bond go…down. The Rain Elemental didn't know how to really describe it, except that it felt like Takeshi's emotions were trying to drown him in the worst way possible.

That was when Jirou finally realized what was wrong with Takeshi's laughs and smiles: they were fake. Absolutely fake.

So when Takeshi went to sleep that night, Jirou went to Kojirou, Takeshi's first Rain Elemental partner, and asked him what was wrong. Was it something he did? Did Takeshi just not want a second Elemental partner? Or was it something else altogether?

That's when the swallow with rain flames coating his entire body reassured him that it had nothing to Jirou at all. Kojirou went on to say that when he first met Takeshi; it was to save him from a man with a butcher knife and a gun. But he couldn't do anything for the young boy's father.

He also couldn't do anything for Takeshi's initial tears and the silent tears that followed in the nights to come. Much less Takeshi's act of seeming happy and quite alright in the daytime. It wasn't that the swallow didn't try as hard as he could, but…nothing he did seemed to really help.

But maybe Jirou can. Kojirou told him that in every case where a human has had two Elemental partners, it was because they had two sides to themselves. Kojirou was obviously represented Takeshi's serious side, while Jirou himself represented Takeshi's fun-loving side. Even though he never saw this side of the boy himself, Kojirou said that he had to be. Jirou just had to be.

From that moment on, Jirou took it upon himself to make Takeshi really laugh and smile again. The dog played fetch with his human partner, licked his face and hands, snuggled with him…but nothing worked. Sure, Takeshi petted him and told him he was a good dog but the smiles and laughs were still very much fake.

Jirou, despite himself, was beginning to wonder if he could ever cheer up the boy who missed his father. Maybe it was just a fluke that he bonded with Takeshi; maybe he really didn't represented Takeshi's fun-loving side…

No! He just had to represent the side that loved to truly smile and laugh, Jirou just had to be! Takeshi is just really sad right, and understandably so! Jirou just had to keep on trying!

So determined to never ever give up, Jirou sat up from his position on Takeshi's lap and faced him.

"What's up boy?" Takeshi asked with yet another fake smile as he scratched behind Jirou's ears. The Rain Elemental really tired of those darn things.

Resolved to have that be Takeshi's last fake smile, Jirou didn't answer him and instead…tickled him. Yep, Jirou tickled his beloved human partner's stomach with his nose. He also made sure to that all his love for the boy showed up in their bond. As a result, Kojirou joined in by giving Takeshi all his love in their bond as well.

For a moment or so, nothing happened.

Then, before Jirou could begin to think that this was yet another failed attempt, Takeshi laughed. It was small and short but it…it sounded like a _bell_. It sounded just like one of those bells that Jirou hears, a bell that couldn't help but make the townspeople who heard smile at least just a bit. Takeshi's laugh was just as beautiful as that, if not better, and…it…was… _real._

But if one small real laugh wasn't enough, Takeshi laughed again. And again and again, each one longer and more beautiful than the last. And Takeshi was smiling as he laughed too, a big wide smile that really did sent Jirou's spirit soaring with happiness.

So Jirou kept on tickling him till Takeshi was out of breath and Kojirou lightly told him that he should stop. The dog then nuzzled and snuggled against Takeshi in the abandoned house that they were currently living in, who in turn hugged Jirou back.

And as Kojirou joined in by landing on Takeshi's shoulder and snuggling against the boy's cheek, Jirou felt it. Takeshi's relief and love. Given the way Kojirou pecked Takeshi's cheek, Jirou knew that he felt it too. Their human partner was finally beginning to heal.

 _A First Fight_

Uri growled to herself as the little Storm Elemental prowled through the alleyways. Why of all people that she had to bond with it had to be Hayato?! And did he really have to be an eight-year-old kid on the run? Uri was only a year or so older than him for goodness sake!

 _'Ugh, stop being so bossy you dumb cat!'_

When they first bonded in an alleyway after Hayato gave her some of his fish that he managed to steal from the marketplace, Uri had been ecstatic. Ever since Kojirou, who she played (or pretended to hunt and he would go along with it) found his human partner and Jirou, Uri had been lonely. And the cat with storm flames covering the insides of both ears, found that she did not like it. Not one little bit.

 _'Dumb cat?! You're the one who can't ignite their flames!'_

Hence why Uri was ecstatic when she found herself bonded with a boy who was kind enough to give her fish. But after a day or so together, that happy feeling was quickly replaced with agitation and annoyance. Hayato was rude, really temperamental, super defensive and stubborn as an old goat.

 _'Well, maybe I can if you could actually teach!'_

They were constantly butting heads, no matter if it was during a meal, training, or spending some unwanted time with the rain trio. It seemed like the only things they could agree on was that Takeshi and Jirou were both annoying and fish tasted good. Other than that, the Storm Elemental and her human partner didn't get along at all.

 _'Why you…'_

So it wasn't a surprise to Uri that they argue yet again after another exhausting training session where Hayato failed to conjure his storm flames. But then, maybe it was because there was just so much frustration on both sides that things really began to heat up. Way more than it ever did before.

 _'So just leave me alone and let me train myself! I bet that I can get way stronger in one hour than in one day training under you!'_

And then, before she knew it, Uri lost any semblance of patience she had and snapped.

 _'Fine! Go ahead! I don't care! Why should I bother helping a brat like you! I mean, you are such a brat that even your own father had sent a hitman after you in order to get you to leave!'_

And she went too far.

 _'Hayato…I didn't mean…wait! Hayato!'_

Uri honestly didn't blame Hayato for running away. What she said was so horrible that it was practically an unspoken law that no one should ever say those words. But the cat did say them. And all because Uri was frustrated that her human partner wasn't exactly as she had originally imagined him to be.

Which now that she thought about it…was rather unfair. What she pictured in her mind was someone who was practically perfect and…no one like that exists. So even when he did good things like scratching behind her ears and defending her from a really excited Jirou, Uri didn't really appreciate it. All she could do was focus on what he was doing wrong. Uri thought she was smart enough to realize what she was doing was wrong, so why did she hold Hayato up against that ideal image? Why?

Was she really that stubborn?

 _"Hayato…where are you?"_ she called out through their bond as she continued to search through the alleyways. Once again, there was no answer. A bit of anxiety mingled with her guilt as Uri looked up the darkening sky. She really needed to find Hayato before the thugs came out to 'play.'

 _"I'm sorry…I really shouldn't have said that_ , _"_ Uri continued as she turned around a corner. No Hayato and after focusing on their bond, Uri still felt grief and loneliness coming from her partner. He either didn't believe her or he was so distraught that he wasn't focusing on their bond. Or maybe he just didn't want to forgive her.

In which case, Uri made sure her feelings of regret and love came across to him through their bond before stopping for a moment.

 _"You…you may act like an annoying brat at times but…you're_ _mine_ _annoying brat. I…I don't want you to go. Please…please come back to this very dumb cat. Please."_

There was no answer.

Uri let out a sad meow as she started on her search for her human partner again. Then suddenly, there was a loud scuffle behind her. Startled, the Storm Elemental let out a small screech as she spun around, her storm flames flaring and fur standing on end. And then, with just one look, Uri calmed down.

It was Hayato. He was getting out of the dumpster and even though it was clear he spent a lot of time in there considering the smell and the pieces of trash in his silver hair, Uri found that she didn't care. Hayato was safe now and he wasn't feeling those nasty emotions of grief and loneliness anymore.

Her perfect partner had forgiven her.

 _A First Nightmare_

Natsu woke up with a sharp jolt, breathing harshly as the feelings of confusion, terror, and anguish stirred rapidly together in his soul. While the little lion got his breathing under control, he tried to figure out what just happened. What woke him up? Why was he terrified and full of anguish?

It wasn't till he heard a small whimper beside him did he realized the answers to his questions. The feelings terror and anguish didn't belong to him. They belonged to his new human partner, Tsuna.

So with extreme concern, the Sky Elemental turned his head to find that Tsuna was tossing and turning under his ratty orange blanket, eyes closed and face full of pain. It was quite obvious to the young Elemental that his new partner was trapped in a nightmare.

 _"Tsuna! Tsuna wake up!"_ Natsu called out to him as he shook the little boy's arm with his small paw. He didn't wake up, instead his tossing and turning increased and he let out another whimper. Natsu called out and shook his arm again but alas, this attempt to wake him also failed.

Scared and not knowing what to do, Natsu looked up to the other occupants in the room. Unfortunately, Hayato, Uri, Takeshi, Kojirou, and Jirou were all still sleeping peacefully. Natsu turned his attention back to Tsuna, who just let a whimper that was louder than the last one.

The Sky Elemental took a deep breath. There was only one thing left to do.

" _Tsuna wake up!"_ Natsu all but screamed as he jumped right onto Tsuna's stomach. When the young boy let out a huge _oompf_ , Natsu knew that he had done a job well done.

"Wha..." Tsuna started to cry out (after he got his breath back of course) before he saw Natsu standing on his stomach. Natsu saw the recognition in his face before he took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes as he sat up. "Oh, hi Natsu. Is it morning already?"

" _No, it's not,"_ Natsu answered through their bond while he shook his head. _"You were having a nightmare. Are you okay?"_

Tsuna didn't say anything as he let his hands slowly fall down to his lap, his face pointing down in such a way so that Natsu didn't have a good view of it (even with the full moon streaming through the broken window of the abandoned house they were staying at). But Natsu didn't need to see Tsuna's face to know his answer.

Tsuna's grief and the lingering bit of fear were more than enough of an answer. Especially when Natsu knew his backstory.

Tsuna once had parents who loved and doted on him, despite the fact that he wasn't the smartest in his grade or the best at sports. But then one day, they driving their car through the countryside when suddenly, one of the tires blew up causing the car to skid. Tsuna's father tried to control it but it was also raining that day and…they collided right into a tree.

Tsuna managed to survive with only a few scrapes and bruises but his parents…died. Tsuna never had a chance to tell them that he loved them one last time.

The eight-year-old boy, for reasons even he didn't know, then left the car and his dead parents and just walked away. And Tsuna kept on walking till he came across Natsu, who happened to be just waking up from his nap under a nice shady tree at that moment. Tsuna pet Natsu's fur and before they knew it, Tsuna had an orange imprint of a small lion on his wrist and Natsu felt what the boy was feeling.

The boy and sky lion immediately hit it off and after a small discussion; they decided that it would be best if they went to live in town. Not long after they got there, they met Hayato and Takeshi and their Elemental partners and now they are all sleeping in the same house together.

But despite his new friends and partner…Tsuna was still sad about his parents. Understandably of course, but this was the first time he had a nightmare about the incident. Or at least, the first one since Natsu met him.

"The…the car…it…it wouldn't…" Tsuna stammered out in a choky voice as tears threatened to fall from his eyes.

" _Hey, it's okay,"_ interrupted Natsu in the most soothing tone he could muster. He then rubbed his head, which was surrounded with a mane made up of sky flames, against Tsuna's chest. _"I'm here, you're not alone, I won't…"_

The words 'leave you' died on Natsu's tongue as he looked up at his emotionally fragile partner. While Natsu was resolved to always stay by his partner's side, after what happened to Tsuna's parents…the Sky Elemental's intuition told him that he shouldn't make any promises that he may not be able to keep.

" _I'll protect you,"_ Natsu promised instead, hoping that this would be good enough.

And it was. Because as soon as Natsu said those words, Tsuna closed his arms around his Elemental partner into a tight embrace. Natsu snuggled right back as he felt Tsuna's love and appreciation through their bond as he in return made sure Tsuna felt loved.

 _A First Few Tears_

Gyuudon, for the first time in his life, was completely out of his depths. It was only a few minutes ago that he was just walking by edge of the forest. He wasn't going anywhere in particular; he just wanted a bit of a break from the rest of his crazy family. Okay, maybe the Lightning Elemental was feeling a bit left out what with being the only Elemental out of the eight Elementals in their family to not have a human partner, but that was beside the point.

In any case, the bull who has lightning flames sizzling all over his black fur, was happening to past by an abandoned house when suddenly, he heard a cry. And not just any cry, oh no. A _baby's_ cry.

Concerned, Gyuudon then searched for where the crying was coming from until he found a small brown cardboard box that was sitting on the porch of the abandoned house. When he looked inside, Gyuudon saw a small and dirty baby wrapped in a green blanket. A baby that was very clearly _human_.

The Lightning Elemental then looked around both ways, only to find that the baby was the only human around. Gyuudon then turned his attention back to the baby boy (…he thinks. It looks like a boy), who was still crying with his eyes closed. In an attempt to comfort the baby, Gyuudon then bent his head to lick his cheek.

He definitely did not expect his lightning flames to flare up or imprint of a green bull to show up on the baby's wrist.

Back to the present, Gyuudon looked at the baby, no, _his_ human partner, who was crying even worse than before. And if he was judging the feelings in his, no, _their_ new bond correctly, the baby was afraid. Of course he was afraid, the baby was alone with only a big scary-looking bull for company. That and the initial pain of the bond taking place.

Oh, what was he supposed to do?! Gyuudon has finally found his human partner but what was he supposed to do when his _own_ partner was terrified of him?!

Okay, okay…maybe the Lightning Elemental is just overreacting. A little. He just needs to calm down, like Tsuna, Natsu, Jirou, Takeshi, and Chrome try to get the others to do when they start fighting (with little to no success but hey, at least they tried). Yeah…maybe the baby just needs to know Gyuudon for a little bit more before he can start trusting the bull. Actually, now that Gyuudon thinks about it…has the baby even opened his eyes at all?

Feeling more hopeful and confident, Gyuudon once more bent down his head to lick the little boy's cheek. This time, instead of more crying or a flare-up of flames…the baby actually stopped crying. Okay, tears were still falling and he was still sniffling, but at least he wasn't wailing in fear and loneliness anymore. And then, for the first time the baby opened his eyes.

They were a beautiful green. As the baby stared at him in obvious interest, Gyuudon felt his heart softened and love for the baby, his new human partner begin to bloom even more. Right then and there, with an air of ferocity unfamiliar to him, Gyuudon swore to himself that he would protect and take care of this child with everything that he has.

The baby's sudden smile and laughter only made his will to do so that much stronger.

 **So what did you think? Did you have an overall good time reading this omake? I know I did! Please leave whatever thoughts you have on this chapter in a review and I will update soon (like by next month at latest...most likely)! Till then, stay positive and have a good day/night!**

 **P.S. I am still taking prompt ideas!**


	10. Chapter 9

**So I feel it's only fair to warn you...this isn't Takeshi's backstory. I know that I said that Takeshi's backstory was next, and originally was going to be an intro/segway to that, but the transition didn't really make sense to me, I was supposed to update last month, and I really liked what I wrote here so...yeah. I posted an extra fluffy chapter. Takeshi's backstory(which I have started) will be next. I PROMISE.**

 **I don't own KHR.**

"There you go," Takeshi whispered with a smile as he finished putting on Lambo's diaper. "All clean."

Lambo responded with a happy gurgle and a clap of his small hands. Takeshi couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.

"Feels good doesn't it?" asked Takeshi playfully as he tickled Lambo's stomach with his nose. "Doesn't it?"

Lambo let out quite a few giggles at that, and while the giggles sounded very adorable, they were also unfortunately a bit loud. And everyone else was still sleeping.

"Ssh ssh," Takeshi harshly whispered as he hurriedly placed his hands over his baby brother's mouth while looking around a bit frantically. But thankfully, besides a stir from Kyoya and a twitch from Mukuro, no one woke up. Takeshi let out a relieved sigh while he took his hands off of Lambo's mouth.

"That was a bit close, huh buddy?" Takeshi harshly whispered with a soft chuckle as he scratched the back of his head with one hand. Lambo gurgled happily, obliviously unaware of their very close call.

It has been about two days since Tsuna left and came back with medicine for Kyoya. To everyone's relief, not only was Tsuna okay but the medicine _worked._ It seemed to Takeshi that not long after Ryohei gave Kyoya the first few pills, their brother started to breathe more easily and his sleep got more peaceful. He was thankfully, finally on the mend.

And all that had to happen was for Tsuna to scare the living daylights out of them. Yeah, face it to say, Tsuna is grounded for two weeks. And a 'lesson' from Kyoya once he was well enough. Takeshi couldn't help but feel sorry for his younger brother just a tiny bit.

Even though Kyoya was getting better, Ryohei and Mukuro still insisted that they should still watch him through the night just in case he had a relapse, which was fine with everyone else. It was currently Takeshi's shift, having taken over after Ryohei just an hour ago and he still has an hour or so to go. So when Lambo started to cry, Takeshi was able to shush his tears before the others fully woke up.

"Well, time to go back to sleep," Takeshi softly said as he picked up his baby brother and held him close. He then stood up carefully and walked over to the pile of blankets that served as Lambo's bed, stepping over his sleeping siblings if he needed to. When he got there, Takeshi gave a kiss on top of Lambo's forehead and laid him down.

"Kay, night night Lambo. Love ya," Takeshi quietly told him with smile as he tucked his baby brother in. Before he could get back up, however, Lambo reached up and grabbed a good handful of Takeshi's black hair.

"Ow," Takeshi uttered with a wince as Lambo giggled and grabbed another tuft of Takeshi's hair with his free hand. Takeshi sighed.

"You don't wanna to go back to sleep do you?" Takeshi asked and instantly found his answer in a form of a baby's giggle and sharp tug of his hair. Takeshi grunted in pain as he tried to figure out what to do. Whenever Lambo got this playful before bedtime, it always takes a while before they could calm him down enough so that he could go to sleep without a fuss. And if Lambo made a fuss now…

"Okay okay…what about a story? Does that sound good?" Takeshi offered as he managed to pry Lambo's fingers off his hair. Lambo gurgled like he agreed; prompting Takeshi to once again pick up Lambo and walk over where they were before, which was only a few feet away from Kyoya.

It was only when Takeshi had sat down comfortably and a quick yet thorough glance at Kyoya that he told a story about a little bunny named Foo Foo and all the mice he became friends with till Lambo fell asleep soundly in his arms.

 **The story I was originally going to have Takeshi tell was his backstory but given the subject matter...I doubt Takeshi wouldn't an eleven-month-old this at bedtime. Even if Takeshi is oblivious and Lambo is a baby.**

 **But what did you think? Please leave a review and I will update as soon as I am able to. Merry Christmas!**


	11. Chapter 10

**Hey, I updated in less than a month! Woo-hoo!**

 **I don't own KHR. Not even close.**

Takeshi sat down at the edge of the orphanage, his feet dangling over the heads of gleeful children running around below. It was only when he was fully situated in his spot did the smile he forced himself to wear all day finally disappeared. Finally…he was _alone_.

When he first arrived in the orphanage two weeks ago, Takeshi only smiled when someone talked to him, whether it was a caretaker or another kid. It wasn't that he particularly enjoyed their company or the conservation, but more that he just wanted to be polite. His old man used to tell him that it was always good to be polite.

Then, on his third day at the orphanage, he joined a game of baseball, hoping that his favorite game would stop his heart from hurting so much. But that was when everything went south for Takeshi. He scored not one, but two homeruns and then he got three kids out when he was on the outfield. Everyone saw this and loved and admired him for it.

But that's why it was so awful. Because instead of the occasional hello or question, everyone… _swarmed_ him. _Constantly._ Everyone, from the youngest kids to even the Head of the orphanage, kept coming to him for advice, for friendly chatter, for a second's worth of popularity.

This meant that he had to smile. _All the time_. And it hurts, it hurts to smile, when all Takeshi wants to do is be alone and mourn. Mourn the person that was always there for him, that loved him no matter what he did, that…that _d-died_ …protecting _him_ …

Why can't anybody remember why he was at the orphanage in the first place?!

Takeshi wiped away the tears that managed to escape his eyelids and took a deep and shaky breath. He doesn't want to be popular, to have girls give him dandelions, or to always be the first person to be picked for a team in a baseball game. But…but it looked like this was his lot in life now.

"Pops…why did you have to go?" asked Takeshi softly in a quivering voice as more tears threatened to fall from his eyes. Then Takeshi heard the door that separated the roof from the rest of the building open.

Takeshi instantly closed his mouth, and hoped desperately that whoever it was would leave quickly. He really didn't want to force a smile on already, or explain the tear tracks on his cheeks.

He heard the door close quietly and when he heard nothing else, Takeshi let out a sigh of relief. Maybe they realized they had to be somewhere else or something like that.

"A-Are you okay?" With wide brown eyes, Takeshi swiftly turned to see a small boy with poufy, spiky brown hair looking at him with a concerned expression. For a moment, Takeshi didn't say anything as the other boy started to fiddle with his fingers.

Then Takeshi remembered that the boy's name was Tsuna, or what everyone called him behind his back, Dame-Tsuna. Unlike Takeshi, Tsuna wasn't popular at all. The girls turned their noses at him, the caretakers seemed to despise his existence, and he wasn't invited to play any games. He wasn't outright bullied though, but only because he was friends with Kyoya and Mukuro. And well…Takeshi quickly learned why everybody was afraid of them. Makes him wonder how they of all people became friends with the timid boy.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine," Takeshi said with a fake laugh as he wiped his face with one hand. "Just…had some dust in my eyes. Thanks for asking though Tsuna!"

Takeshi then looked forward, hoping that Tsuna would take the hint and go away. It was silent for a few seconds before Takeshi heard Tsuna take in and let out a deep breath. Then came the sound of footsteps, quiet despite the fact that there rubble all over rooftop. Takeshi might have been impressed if he wasn't despairing over the fact that the footsteps were getting closer.

And then the footsteps stopped. Takeshi turned his head, while forcing on a smile despite how much it hurt to do so. Tsuna was standing right beside him, his hands grasping the edge of his pockets tightly like if he didn't, he would go back to fiddling with his fingers. But it was the look on his face that held Takeshi's attention the most. Was it concern? Sadness? Determination? A mixture of all three and more? Takeshi honestly couldn't guess.

The young boy didn't have a chance to guess either, since before he could even open his mouth to say that he really was fine, to imply that he just _wanted to be alone_ , Tsuna suddenly dashed forward to wrap his tiny arms around the taller boy. Takeshi jolted a bit out of instinct, but it wasn't enough to undo Tsuna's tight, yet… _comforting_ hold on him.

"You know…I think it's still possible to be nice and not smile at the same time," Tsuna said softly without a single stutter.

Wha…what?

"I mean I remember…I…I'm sorry about your Papa," Tsuna continued, his voice quivering by the end.

No one…not the girls voicing their undying love for him…not the boys wanting him to be on their team…not even the Head when Takeshi first arrived…said those words. No one simply… _cared_ enough to even voice their sympathy.

Until now.

And like a lightning bolt, all the grief and pain hit Takeshi and without any control whatsoever, Takeshi cried. He returned Tsuna's hug and bawled into Tsuna's ragged shirt like there was no tomorrow.

"It….it j-just came out nowhere," Takeshi sobbed as he began to cling to Tsuna desperately. "Why…why Pops? We…we were going to have new l-life…Pops said so…so…so why did they have to hurt Pops?! Why?!"

Tsuna didn't say a word, he just continued to hug Takeshi and rub circles on the grieving boy's back. Which Takeshi was fine with honestly. He didn't expect Tsuna to have the answers. He just wanted to cry.

And cry Takeshi did. He cried like he wanted to ever since he saw his old man die, but couldn't because either he wasn't alone or he was afraid someone would hear him. But now he was with someone who understood, or at least _wanted_ to understand him. Tsuna didn't want anything from him, nor was he complaining that Takeshi was messing up his shirt with snot and tears.

Tsuna…Tsuna was just _there_. Just like how his old man used to be.

It was only when Takeshi's tears and sobs finally dwindled to a few sniffles that Takeshi finally lifts his head up from Tsuna's shirt. Before the sun was still shining brightly in the blue sky, but now it was sinking down to the earth, making the blue lose out to a deep red-orange.

"Pretty isn't it?" Tsuna commented as he too looked at the sunset. Takeshi nodded in agreement, and then did something he honestly didn't think he could do ever do. He smiled. A _real_ smile. Sure it was small, but it was _real_. Takeshi wasn't even trying to smile, it just…happened.

"Um…Takeshi?" Tsuna asked as Takeshi felt his small but _not forced_ smile with a few tentative fingers. "It's…it's going to be dinner soon. W-Wanna eat with m-my friends and m-me?"

Looking at Tsuna's nervous yet hopeful face, Takeshi felt like he couldn't say yes fast enough.

 **Ta da! Takeshi's backstory (or at least how he met Tsuna) is revealed! And don't worry, the details of how Yamamoto Tsuyoshi died and how Takeshi survived will be reveal just not till...later. If I say anything more, it might be spoilery.**

 **In any case, how did you feel reading this chapter? Have any prompts for me? Please leave a review or prompt (if you have one, no pressure) on the way out!**


	12. Omake 2

**Prompt by** FireEmblemLover39: "What if Fon was Hibari's long lost baby brother and through him they met the rest of the arcobaleno (actual children but prodigies in their respective fields)?"

 **I don't own KHR.**

"You have a what now?!" exclaimed Hayato, almost sounding like he was purely horrified. Kyoya, suprisingly, didn't bite Hayato to death for shrieking (though Hayato would insist that he _yelled_ , not shrieked). Instead, he just rolled his grey eyes and adjusted the toddler he was holding against his hip better. Now that Tsuna thought about it, the toddler was probably the _only_ reason why Hayato didn't have a lot of bruises right now.

"My baby brother," Kyoya said once again. "His name is Fon. Say hi Fon."

"Hi," said Fon with a small smile and a wave with a hand that was hidden by a very long red sleeve. "Pleasure to meet you!"

If the thought that _Kyoya_ of all people had a sibling wasn't so terrifying and shocking, Tsuna actually might have cooed at how cute the little boy with the black braid was. Tsuna figured that he had to be five at the most.

"Hi Fon," greeted Chrome shyly with a small wave of her own.

"So...when did you get a baby brother?" asked Takeshi with a laugh, very much sounding like he was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that the Demon of Namimori had a little brother.

" _How_ did you get a baby brother?" asked Mukuro incredously.

"Probably saw how cute he was and stole him from a stroller," stated Hayato firmly, even though he had no proof behind his claim.

"No...they look too much alike," Tsuna defuted, even though he could actually see Kyoya doing that.

"Are you actually going to listen or are you going to keep on talking?" asked Kyoya, whose right eye started to twitch. Not a good sign.

"Sorry Kyoya, we're listening," Tsuna appeased while tugging on both Mukuro's and Hayato's sleeves so they wouldn't retort and make things worse. Luckily, Mukuro and Hayato got the hint and kept quiet, and so did everyone else for that matter. And they stayed that way till Kyoya finally sighed and brushed a stray hair off of Fon's face.

"Five years ago, my parents had..."

"We extremely don't need that detail!" interrupted Ryohei, obviously panicked as he rushed over to Tsuna and hurriedly placed his hands over the younger boy's ears. And even though Mukuro didn't say anything, it was obvious he agreed since he also quickly placed his hands over Chrome's ears.

"Agreed," Hayato nodded firmly while Takeshi looked really confused, along with Chrome.

To say that Tsuna felt like he was really out of the loop would kinda be an understatement. What was the big deal? What was Kyoya going to say?

"Fine," Kyoya conceded with a roll of his eyes. "Fon was born five years ago and two years later, he got kidnapped by some criminals who wanted payback. The criminals got bitten to death not long after but not before they sold Fon to the Triads."

"But they found me and now I'm home!" exclaimed Fon with a wide smile as he hugged his big brother tightly. Kyoya in turn held Fon close to his chest. Tsuna heard Chrome let out a little squeal, though it was from the cute interaction between the two brothers or the heartbreaking tale of two brothers being seperated for three years, he didn't know. Maybe it was both.

It did answer the question of why they have never heard of Fon before though. While Takeshi, Ryohei, and Tsuna have more or less knew Kyoya almost all their lives, they didn't really become friends till two years ago along with Hayato, Mukuro, and Chrome. And since Fon had already been kidnapped and sold to the Triads...it's no wonder why the usually reserved Kyoya didn't speak of him.

"Well...that's extremely good Fon! And Kyoya!" exclaimed Ryohei after a few moments of stunned silence. "I'm extremely happy for you two!"

"Me too!" added Takeshi with a laugh that clear the air of any lingering uneasiness of people who didn't know how to respond to their story.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Fon!" Tsuna greeted properly as he waved to the little guy.

"Yeah...you don't seem as demonic as your older brother," Hayato bravely stated with a nod and a small smile. Before Kyoya could respond to that, Fon did.

"I don't know...I've been told I'm scarily good at martial arts."

This piece of news was injested with yet another moment of silence.

Well...as long as he doesn't have Kyoya's bloodthirst, everything will be okay. Hopefully.

KHR

Mukuro just got home from the emergency shopping trip (apparently someone in their apartment building insulted him and Ken trashed their apartment with toilet paper in retaliation), when he heard Ken angrily yell about how something was unfair. With a resigned sigh, Mukuro walked into the living room.

"What is...who is that?" asked Mukuro, with slightly wary eyes as he pointed to the unfamiliar kid who was between Fon and Chikusa. A kid...who was wearing a hooded cloak and floating in mid-air. Wait, why was Fon here?

"This is Viper," answered Fon cheerifully as he motioned his hand towards the strange floating child. "My friend from when I was in the Triads!"

"Okay, so...your friend was in the Triads too? Or...is your friend still with them?" asked Mukuro, mentally preparing himself to fight the suspicious...child at a moment's notice. This is exactly why he doesn't like strangers in his home...even if they happen to be fellow illusionists.

"I'm not in the Triads, I just helped Fon find his targets for a price," answered Viper flatly. Mukuro wasn't sure if he should be relieved that Viper was never part of the Triads, or wary that Viper seems to be the type of character that could sell them out.

Not that there was really anyone that Viper can sell them out to since Mukuro took out the Estraneo, but his point still stands.

"Okay, I can't take it anymore," Ken blurted out, his face kinda red, from anger or impatience Mukuro wasn't sure. Possibly both. "Are you a girl or a boy?"

Hallelujah, Mukuro thought he was the only one who couldn't tell.

"Oh, Viper's a..."

"Don't you dare!" Viper screeched as a pillow suddenly appeared out of thin air and hit Fon squarely in the face, knocking him off the the still floating child turned to Ken.

"Do you have 600,000,000 yen?"

"Heck no! How can we have 600,000,000 yen when we don't even have 9,567,000 yen?!" exclaimed Ken.

"Then don't ask again!" replied Viper with a huff. "Which reminds me..."

"Kufufu...what's this about 9,567,000 yen?" asked Mukuro, a fake smile growing on his face as he clutched the paper bag holding the toilet paper tightly. He didn't like where this was going...

"When Fon told us that Viper was the best illusionist ever," Chikusa started to softly explained as he pushed his glasses up his nose. "Ken claimed that it wasn't so and told Viper to prove it. So Viper showed us some of...their illusions and now is charging us 9,567,000 yen."

"Which isn't fair!" Ken yelled, the eleven-year-old standing up and pointing an accusing finger at the illusionist, who judging by the size, was probably around five years old. "You should have told us you were going to charge us before, not after!"

"I tried to warn you," Fon meekly said as he sat up, clearly sorry that he couldn't stop Ken.

Mukuro actually didn't blame him, only a few people were able to stop Ken's rash, impulsive behavior that got him and others into trouble.

Luckily for them, Mukuro had a good idea to get rid of the debt.

"Kufufu...so Viper...do you really believe that you are the best illusionist ever?" asked Mukuro, aware that his fake smile had turned into a challenging and creepy sneer if Fon's wide eyes were anything to go by.

"Yes! Are you saying that I'm not?" responded Viper, sounding childishly offended.

"I'm saying that if you can make better illusions than I can, then we will pay you the money with no more complaints. If I win, we don't owe you anything. What do you say?"

"Hmm...If I win, you will pay me your debt in full _plus_ interest."

Ken made a noise of protest but Mukuro paid him no mind as he responded to Viper's offer.

"Deal."

It only took five minutes for Mukuro to make Viper have a mental breakdown and cancel the debt. And it was so much fun that he didn't even punish Ken for getting themselves into such a situation in the first place.

KHR

Ryohei was in the middle of his daily jog when he heard it: the roaring of a motorcycle. Curious, since he was usually the only one up at 5:30 in the morning, the twelve-year-old ran towards the sounds. It didn't take long for him to reach the place where the sounds were coming from, which happened to be by the river. And whatever he expected to see...this certainly wasn't it.

From what he could see from the nearby lamplights, there were two ramps facing each other at the riverbed, with a good size distance between them. And moving towards one of them at an extreme speed was a little child in a purple-and-black jumpsuit on a motorcycle.

"Here comes the great Skull-sama," the kid cried as his motorcycle arrived at the ramp. "I wonder what he is going to do next!"

Then the great Skull-sama flew off the ramp and while the bike was still in midair, the kid quickly positioned himself so that he was doing a handstand on the handlebars. Skull held the handstand for about three seconds before he sat back down on the motorcycle. And right after he did that, the motorcycle made a clean landing on the ramp.

"Extreme!" cheered Ryohei with several loud claps. Skull whipped his head around, obviously startled by Ryohei's cheer.

"Oh, you're a fan of Skull-sama?" he called out as he turned his motorcycle to face Ryohei. Apparently, he wasn't startled anymore, especially since he was now driving towards the older child.

"Yeah!" confirmed Ryohei with a pump of his fists. "That was an extreme stunt!"

"I think so too...ah!" Without warning, the motorcycle sputtered to a stop a feet away from Ryohei, causing little Skull to start falling to the side along with his bike.

"Whoa!" Ryohei cried as he dashed forward without hesitation, knowing that if he didn't, the bike would land in a way that it would pin the little kid to the ground. When Skull was only a few inches away from both him and the ground, Ryohei reached his arms out and caught him. He then quickly swept him up and away from the motorcycle. A second later, said motorcycle fell to the ground with a loud thud.

"You're alright?" asked Ryohei as he held Skull close to his chest. Skull, who was still wearing his helmet, nodded his head after a moment.

"Yeah, I've been through worse. I am a great stuntman after all!" assured Skull with a wave of his hand. Then he sighed and looked down on his motorcycle. "But...even the great Skull-sama can't do stunts on a motorcycle with no gas..."

"Oh, I extremely know where the closest gas station is!" suggested Ryohei excitedly. "I can take you there to the extreme!"

"Really?" piped Skull hopefully. Ryohei nodded.

"Yep! And it's only an extreme ten-minute run away!"

"Okay! Help me hide my bike so it won't get stolen and we can go!" So after Ryohei helped Skull hide his motorcycle behind some bushes, the older boy kneeled down.

"Alright, get on my back so we can extremely get to the gas station!" offered Ryohei with a smile. What a good day this was turning out to be!

"Alright!" accepted Skull as he hopped on Ryohei's back without hesitation. "On we go to get gas so that I, Skull-sama, can perform my new tricks for Fon!"

"Oh, you know Fon to the extreme?" asked Ryohei a bit surprised as he stood up and started to run towards the gas station, while making sure that the younger boy was safe and secure on his back.

"Yep!" Then Skull went on a kinda long story that Ryohei, tried as he might, couldn't catch all of it. Something about Skull driving super fast, something something, guns, something, Fon jumped onto the back of his motorcycle, something, then they both drove away extremely fast and were friends ever since.

It all sounded pretty extreme though.

Then, before Ryohei knew it, they had reached the gas station.

"We're..." Ryohei started to tell him only to trail off when he heard little snores coming from inside of Skull's helmet. "Skull?"

Skull's only response was a soft mumble and snuggle against Ryohei's back, his little hands still clasped around Ryohei's neck, though not as tightly as before. Ryohei also noticed that Skull hadn't said a word in the last few minutes.

So after a few moments of debliration, Ryohei just gently shifted Skull into a better position and kept on running. They can just go get the gas when Skull wakes up later.

KHR

Takeshi whistled as he tossed his baseball repeatedly in the air. It was a beautiful sunny day, with hardly a cloud in the sky and the eleven-year-old was excited to spend a couple of hours practicing baseball. An important match was coming up, so he's gotta do his best right?

When he was done just playfully tossing his baseball, Takeshi threw it in the air and quickly got ready to hit it with his baseball bat. However, when the baseball was still in mid-air, it suddenly exploded.

No wait...there was a loud crack in the air...his baseball got shot by a gun!

Alarmed, Takeshi whirled around only to find a blond boy who had to be around five-years-old with a big rifle and a sheepish expression.

"Sorry, kora!" cried boy, who was wearing what Takeshi could only describe as green army clothes. "I've been shooting clay pidgeons all morning so I shot your baseball on instinct, kora."

"It's okay," Takeshi good-naturally assured him with a laugh, as he sratched the back of his head. "I've got a newer one at home that I've been meaning to use anyway."

Which was pretty much true. Though, even if it wasn't, Takeshi still wouldn't have gotten mad at the kid. He seemed geniunely sorry.

"Okay, good, kora," he breathed out in relief. Then the kid gave him a big, wide smile like he didn't just shoot Takeshi's baseball out of the sky.

"My name is Colonnello, kora," he introduced himself. "What's your name?"

"I'm Takeshi," said boy replied happily. "I haven't seen you around Namimori before and you don't look Japanese. Are you visiting?"

"Yep! Fon invited me and Lal to meet his family, kora!" answered Colonnello cheerfully. Takeshi raised his brown eyes in surprise.

"You know Fon too?" he asked. First Viper, then Skull, and now Colonnello? How many friends did Fon have? And how many of them were going to visit?

Well, if they were as interesting or nice as Fon and Colonnello, Takeshi doesn't see any problems with it.

"Yeah, we met when we hid in the same abandoned house while we were waiting for the air to be clear from the poison gas, kora," Colonnello explained matter-of-factly.

….

Oh the games that little kids play. Wait a minute...

"Did you say that you and Lal were visiting?"

"Yep, kora!"

"Who's Lal?"

Before Colonnello could answer, another gunshot filled the air.

"Hey Colonnello! Who said that you could take a thirty-minute break?!" exclaimed a girl with blue hair and a red scar on her right cheek angrily as she placed the but end of her rifle on the ground. Colonnello groaned as he turned around to face the girl.

"But Lal! We've trained for three hours already! I..."

"Oh," said Lal, her tone now icy as she lifted her rifle to point it at Colonnello. "Are you disobeying me, your teacher?"

Colonnello didn't say anything for a moment. And neither did Takeshi for that matter.

Then Colonnello suddenly dashed towards Takeshi.

"Run Takeshi, run kora!" he cried as he jumped right at Takeshi's chest. Luckily, even though he was startled enough to drop his baseball bat, Takeshi was able to catch the little boy.

"Are you helping him to defy me, _Takeshi_?!" exclaimed Lal as she quickly trained her rifle on Takeshi's forehead.

The next moment found Takeshi running through the park, with Colonnello in his arms and Lal shooting at them from behind. And even though he wasn't praticing like he had planned, Takeshi couldn't help but laugh. This was fun!

KHR

Hayato's fingers trembled as they hovered over the piano, like they were afraid that they will get hurt even if they so much tap the ivory keys. The eleven-year-old closed his green eyes and inhaled deeply before letting it all out.

"C'mon, the piano is just a dumb instrument," Hayato muttered to himself when his heart still felt twisted by anxiety. "How do you expect to play for Tsuna when you can't even touch the keys?"

Hayato was in Namimori's one and only music store and for the last half hour, Hayato had been sitting on a piano stool, doing nothing. Which was frustrating because Hayato had come to the music store so he could practice a song he wanted to play for Tsuna. When he was just a little lonely kid who ran all the way from Italy just so he could see his mother's childhood home, Tsuna found him. Tsuna looked past his dirty rags, smiled, and gave him a hug. He then grabbed Hayato's hand and took him to his home, where he was given food and a bath. And...a home. Hayato couldn't bring himself to leave (or persuade Tsuna and Mama for that matter) and after a while, stopped trying.

Tsuna had done so much for him, which is why Hayato had to do this, if just to show how much he appreciates his slightly younger brother.

But...everytime his fingers get near the piano keys, he remembers the nice lady with silver hair who smiled at him like he was the most precious treasure in the world. He remembers how she gently taught him how to play the piano, how understanding and patient she was, how pleased she would get when he was able to play a song correctly.

And he remembers how she stopped coming and no one told him why.

And how he finally found out that she was his real mother.

And how she died.

Hayato groaned as he brought his hands away from the piano keys and rubbed them roughly against his hair. It was no good. He can't play the piano, the pain and regret was just too great. Because while Mama was wonderful, she couldn't replace his mother.

No one could.

"You'll be able to play it soon." Startled, Hayato looked around with wide green eyes till he found a little girl wearing a white dress and a poofy white hat looking up at him on his left.

"What was that?" he asked, wondering if he heard wrong or perhaps just misunderstood her. The girl's smile grew a little bigger and more serene.

"You'll be able to play the piano again soon," she clarified. "Maybe not today, but soon! So don't give up, okay?"

Hayato just sat there silently, feeling very stumped as he looked at the girl, who just kept on smiling serenely. He felt like he should be offended and tell the girl to go away but...he didn't. Instead, for some unknown reason, Hayato felt... _calm. Peace. Hope._ Like he knew without a doubt that what the girl was saying was true, that he really will be able to play the piano again.

It kinda reminded him of the time he first met Tsuna.

"Okay," Hayato breathed out finally. "Okay. Do...do you want to play this piano? I...I'm going to...be back here tomorrow."

"Yep!" chirped the little girl happily, like he had just given her a pretty flower. "Can you help me get on the stool though? I'm still too short."

"Sure," Hayato agreed softly as he got off the stool. He then picked her up, and sat her down on the black piano stool without any trouble.

"Thank you!" she replied sincerely.

"No...thank you." Then Hayato quickly left the shop before she or anyone could see him blushing. But he returned the next day, since the strange certainty that the little girl was right never left.

It wasn't till later that he found out that the little girl's name was Luce and that she could see the future that he felt truly validated however.

He even felt more hopeful, despite the fact that Luce also happened to be a yet another friend of Fon's.

KHR

Chrome hummed a soft but happy tune as she walked past the front gate of her home away from home. Otherwise known as the Sawada house. She was here earlier since she wanted to play with Lambo, Fuuta, and I-Pin (everyone was apparently doing their own thing today since neither Tsuna or Hayato were there).

And she did so until she heard Mama mutter how she needed more leeks for dinner. Chrome, always wanting to help her family in anyway she can, then volunteered to go buy some. Mama joyfully accepted the offer and gave the ten-year-old money to buy the leeks with.

"Mama will be happy when she learns they were on sale," giggled Chrome as she looked into the plastic bag which had four big leeks. Exactly what Mama needed.

"Mama, I'm back!" greeted Chrome as she walked into the house and closed the door behind her.

"Oh good!" cried Mama as she appeared into view while Chrome took her shoes off and put on the green slippers that Mama bought for her just for this purpose. "Did you have any trouble?"

"Nope! In fact they were on sale!" exclaimed Chrome proudly in her gentle voice as she handed Mama the leeks and the leftover money.

"Ooh, good job Chrome!" Mama just about squealed as she accepted the money and leeks, making Chrome beam. "And such big leeks too! This is perfect, especially since we have a guest tonight!"

"A...a guest?" asked Chrome, suddenly feeling very nervous and tense. Has she met this guest before, or is he a totally new person?

"Yes, his name is Verde. He arrived while you were getting the leeks," explained Mama as she walked back to the kitchen, Chrome following soundlessly behind her. Chrome felt her heart sank to her toes. She didn't know anyone named Verde.

"He is one of Fon's friends who is here in Namimori to visit Fon." Chrome's heart lifted a little bit.

"So...so is he five?"

"I assume so," answered Mama as she washed the leeks in the sink. Chrome let out a sigh of relief. Even though she was getting better, thanks to Mukuro, Tsuna, Mama, and the rest, she was still wary of meeting new people.

A five-year-old she could handle without much difficulty though.

Though...he is a friend of Fon's...and Fon is friends with one who tricked Ken into getting themselves into a huge debt.

"Such a polite and friendly boy too! Lambo was running and chasing I-Pin and Fuuta around in the front yard earlier when he fell down and bumped his nose. Lambo, the poor dear, of course started crying just when Verde was walking by. Before I could even get out of the house, Verde was already there, helping Fuuta and I-Pin comfort him!"

So a nice little boy, and nothing like Viper.

"Is he with Lambo and the others now?" asked Chrome, feeling quite comfortable and calm.

"Mhm, they're playing upstairs right now. I'm sure they will love for you to join them."

"Okay!" And with that, Chrome left the kitchen and walked up to stairs. As she did so, she couldn't help but notice that it was strangely quiet. Lambo was a loud and rambunctious two-year-old, and I-Pin wasn't too quiet herself, especially when Lambo riles her up. And considering that they have a new playmate...Chrome was honestly expecting things to be particularly noisy.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" she heard Fuuta say from Tsuna and Hayato's room (the door was open) when she finished climbing the stairs.

"Of course it's a good idea," huffed an unfamiliar voice. "Now hush, I'm about to start."

It was right about then that Chrome entered the room.

"Hi..." The rest of Chrome's soft greeting was left unsaid as she stared at the scene in front of her. I-Pin was sucking contently on a lollipop as she sat near the table. Fuuta sat next to her, and he also was sucking on a lollipop, though he looked uneasy and concerned. At the opposite side of the table stood a boy with glasses agreen pointy hair. He didn't have a lollipop, but he was busy flipping little switches on a small but wide machine that was also covered with buttons, blinking lights, and wires with clasps at the end of them.

To Chrome's ever-growing horror, said wires were clasped all over Lambo's cow-printed onesie. There were even two wires clasped to the horns that Lambo liked to wear on his afro! And Lambo wasn't protesting at all as he laid back-first on the table, perfectly happy to just suck on his purple-colored lollipop.

"Okay, here we go!" cried Verde with a crazy smile as he grabbed the handle of a particulary big handle.

Chrome was usually a calm person. And pretty gentle too.

But now?

 _Oh heck no._

Within seconds, she summoned her trident and with a swish, conjured a giantantic pair of scissors and cut all of the wires in two cuts.

"Hey! What are..." Verde stopped protesting when Chrome had the scissors hover right in front of Verde. By the way his eyes widened, Chrome knew that he noticed that the blades on the scissors were longer on his body.

"Were you about to perform an experiment on Lambo?" she asked coolly, not feeling shy at all despite she was talking to someone she just met.

"Uh..." The scissors opened slightly. "Yes, but I've changed my mind! Lambo isn't the perfect subject after all!"

"Good boy." And with that, Chrome made the scissors and her trident vanished. When they did, Verde quickly undid all the clasps that were still connected to Lambo, with some help from Fuuta. Lambo just continued sucking on his lollipop without a care in the world while I-Pin stood up and trotted over to Chrome.

"Chrome! You back!" Chrome smiled and picked the little girl up.

Did she feel guilty that she just threatened a five-year-old? Since a precious member of her family was in danger, nope.

Honestly, Verde should just be grateful that Mukuro didn't end up coming with her to the Sawada house today.

KHR

Kyoya was patrolling his beloved town of Namimori and just like the last two weeks, his baby brother was with him. But this time, there was a third person with them.

"Ooh, a coffee shop! Do they serve good espresso?" asked the little carnivore wearing a black suit complete with a black fedora with an orange stripe.

"I don't know, I haven't been there," answered Fon with a shrug as the suit-wearing carnivore absent-mindedly patted the green chameleon that was sitting on his fedora.

"Of course, because you only like tea."

"Tea isn't the only thing I like Reborn," Fon protested, sounding slightly offended. "I also like hot chocolate."

Huh, good to know.

"Really? Because I've only seen you drink tea," Reborn teased as he lightly pulled at his curly sideburn.

"And I've only seen you drink coffee," Fon teased back. The two five-year-olds continued to tease each other as Kyoya sighed and kept an eye out for any rule-breaking herbivores. A part of him was slightly annoyed at their chatter and thus was tempted to tell them to keep quiet or he will bite them to death.

But Fon was a baby carnivore, his baby brother, someone who he just got back. And Reborn was one of his friends who apparently helped Fon out of a bad situation when they first met. As well as another baby carnivore that needed to be nurtured into a strong, ferocious, full-grown carnivore.

So Kyoya decided to keep quiet and tolerate their chatter. It wasn't like he wasn't used to the chatter from the rest of his herd. Honestly, Kyoya was just grateful that neither child was as loud as Hayato or Ryohei could be. Or Tsuna when he was frightened.

"Oh, hi Kyoya! Hi Fon!"

Well speak of the devil, the omnivore was right in front of them.

"Hi Tsuna!" greeted Fon with a wave while Kyoya replied with one of his usual grunts and a nod. "This is Reborn! Reborn, this is Tsuna!"

"Ciaossu," Reborn greeted with small smile.

"Hi Re...ah!" As he sometimes prone to do, Tsuna tripped over a crack in the sidewalk and fell face-first on the cement.

"Are you alright?" asked Fon, sounding concerned as he ran over to Tsuna while Kyoya calmly walked over to him.

"Yeah...ow..." Tsuna slightly moaned as he began picked himself up.

"You really need to work on that little omnivore," Kyoya stated with a small smile as he held out his hand.

"I know, I know," sighed Tsuna as he took Kyoya's hand and let the thirteen-year-old pull him up to a standing position. "I am getting better though!"

Which was true. When Kyoya first met him, he swore Tsuna would trip over thin air every ten minutes. Now it was only every three hours or so.

"I can help with that." Kyoya and the rest turned their heads to Reborn, who had his fedora pulled over his black eyes with one hand. What really caught Kyoya's attention though was the smile that Reborn was wearing.

It was full-on predatory.

"H-huh?" asked Tsuna dumbly right as Fon pulled on Kyoya's white sleeve, making him look down.

"We should go," Fon harshly whispered. "Reborn's gonna want to spend some time playing with Tsuna alone."

"An eleven-year-old boy doesn't stutter, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn said as his smile grew more... _sadistic_. He reached a hand up to the edge of his fedora, and waited patiently as his pet chameleon (that's right, his name was Leon) stepped onto his open palm.

"Hn," agreed Kyoya as he took Fon's little hand in his and started walking away.

"H-How do y-you know my age?! W-Wait Kyoya, w-where..."

"Why are you still stuttering?" Kyoya turned his head back and noted with surprise how Leon changed into a little green gun.

"Is he going to be okay?" Kyoya asked quietly with some concern. He trusted Fon and agreed that the omnivore needed to be trained but...

"Don't worry onii-san, Reborn knows how to know back when he's teaching," assured Fon as Tsuna stared with horrified brown eyes and an open mouth at the gun. Reborn had pulled his fedora back up from his face, so that Kyoya could see how his obsidian eyes were full of bloodthirsty glee.

But Kyoya could tell that Reborn had his glee under control. He would know.

"Don't hurt him too much," Kyoya called out as he turned his head back around and kept on walking.

"Will do!"

"W-Wait...Kyoya!"

"Are you trying to run away Dame-Tsuna?" A cock of gun could be heard.

"HIIIIEEEEE!"

Life really has gotten interesting since Fon and his little friends arrived.

 **So I am aware that people may be a little OOC (like Chrome) in this but since they are all still kids and have kinda different backstories I think it was bound to happen. That and somehow this omake kinda turned into a crack. Oh well, it was fun to write. I hope this lived up to your expectations,**

 **For those who are curious, Verde met Fon when he sold him some poisons.**

 **Thank you for reading and please leave a review on the way out! Have a good day/night!**


	13. Chapter 11

**So congrats Crayontesla! I decided to have your lovely prompt be part of the main story! I hope you like it!**

 **The prompt: _Could I possibly see a tsuna stalking reborn because of pretty flames. You don't have to flesh it out much, even having one of the other children catch him before it becomes a thing. (I honestly just like the thought of a baby floor wiggling his butt like a kitten trying to catch a dark, dangerous being)._**

 **I don't own KHR.**

Tsuna hummed a merry tune as he walked down the street with Kyoya and Chrome by his side. It has been about a month-and-a-half since Kyoya fully recovered from ammonia and things were looking good. No one was sick, Takeshi finally had pants that fit him (thank you formerly rich man!), and diapers were on sale today. Tsuna honestly felt like he couldn't be happier than he was right now.

"It's only three," mumbled Kyoya as he glared at the people passing by. "Why is there so much crowding?"

There were only four or so other people on the same block as them. Tsuna decided it was wise to not say anything though.

"Well, it is a Saturday," answered Chrome softly as she smiled and gave a little wave to the couple who saw Kyoya's glare and were offended. "Maybe they are here to beat the rush hour just like us."

"Still..." grumbled Kyoya. "I can't help but think that this is unusual..."

Tsuna opened his mouth so that he could appease his older brother by saying that at least the three of them were leaving town now, when suddenly...he felt it. He didn't even know what it was, only that it was... _warm._ _Safe._ Oh so very warm and safe.

Curious, Tsuna looked around to find the source of the safety and warmth. He didn't have to look far.

The source was a tall man in a black suit, complete with a black fedora adorned with an orange ribbon. Tsuna couldn't see the man's eyes because of the fedora but he was able to make out his curly sideburns. He was sitting at one of the tables at the cafe across the street, drinking what was probably some kind of coffee as he talked to the guy sitting next to him.

Said guy was looking pretty frightened but Tsuna honestly wasn't paying him that much attention. Instead, he was focused on the...yellow _pacifier_ around the suit-wearing man's neck. Which was _glowing_.

No...that wasn't right. The pacifier was... _on fire_. And not just any fire, but a fire that only consisted of bright yellow flames, instead of the normal mixture of orange, red, and yellow. Also, instead of just emitting heat like normal flames, it was emitting the safety and warmththat had caught Tsuna's attention in the first place.

And...Tsuna had to admit that the strange yellow flames were pretty. _Really_ pretty.

"Tsuna!"

"What are you doing?!"

"Huh?" Tsuna uttered as he blinked his brown eyes and looked around him confusedly. Instead of standing on the sidewalk, he was in the middle of the road. And instead of walking beside him, Kyoya and Chrome were in front of him, their hands grasping desperately at his arms and general upper body as they pulled him back to the safety of the sidewalk. Tsuna was silent as they maneuvered their way around the few cars heading towards them, trying to remember what just happened.

But for the life of him...he just couldn't remember moving towards the man at all.

"Tsuna, are you okay?" Chrome anxiously asked once they were back on the sidewalk, her purple eye full of fear, concern, and bewilderment.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Tsuna assured her with a nod. "Just...what just happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell us little omnivore," Kyoya responded, his tone a bit sharp as his hands became fists at his sides. "One moment you were with us, and the next you were jaywalking with this...blank look in your eyes."

"It was like you were possessed or something!" exclaimed Chrome before she gasped. "Wait...what was the last thing you remember?"

"I...remember looking at the yellow flames," Tsuna answered as he pointed to where the flames were.

However, when he looked in that direction, the yellow flames were gone. The man wearing the fedora and pacifier were still there, but the flames were gone.

"What flames?" asked Kyoya as he looked where Tsuna was pointing at. "I just see herbivores."

"Well...they were there," Tsuna replied, feeling more and more bewildered by the second. "They were completely yellow and they were coming from that man's pacifier. I...I know it sounds crazy but..."

But what? The fire were gone, and with them, the complete safety and warmth that they were emitting. Did...did he just imagined them? After all, why would flames come from a pacifier of all things?

"Maybe...that man is like a siren?" suggested Chrome before biting her lip, clearly unsure of her answer. Tsuna tilted his head as he devoted his attention to his sister.

"What's a siren?"

"Oh, it's..."

"Tell him later Chrome," Kyoya interrupted as he suddenly grabbed both Chrome's and Tsuna's hands and pratically tugged them both down the sidewalk. "We have to go, and we got to go _now_."

"Wh...why? What happened?" Tsuna cried he tried to keep up with Kyoya's fast pace, frightened at the sudden change in his brother's behavior.

It was like he was both...alarmed _and_ excited at the same time.

Kyoya didn't answered for a moment as he continued to tug them down the sidewalk. But when he did, it brought shivers down Tsuna's spine.

"That man with the pacifier isn't a herbivore as I first thought. He's the most dangerous carnivore I have ever seen."

 **So...what made Kyoya change his mind I wonder? In any case, one of the only reasons why he didn't just confront Reborn is because Chrome and Tsuna were there. And that in this universe Kyoya is bit more cautious due to his fear that his family will be torn apart if people found out there were a bunch of runaway children hiding in a cave.**

 **Okay, so what do you think I should write next? A prompt (if I get one), the next chapter of the main story, or someone's backstory? Please leave your opinions in a review and I will update as soon as I can! Have a good day/night!**


	14. Chapter 12

**Since I just got votes for more of the main story, here you go!**

 **I don't own KHR.**

When they got back to the cave, Kyoya instantly called for an emergency meeting and told everyone what had happened in town. Their reactions were just about what Chrome expected.

"Flames?! Oh my gosh, he's an UMA!" exclaimed Hayato, somehow sounding both delighted and horrified at the same time.

"Are you okay Tsuna?"

"Yeah, I'm okay Takeshi...just a bit freaked out."

"Ugh, I wanna punch that...strange man in the face for freaking my little brother out! What...whatever he did was not extreme at all!...What did he do, I didn't get that part."

"That's the big question," murmured Mukuro as he placed his chin in his hand. "Was it temporary mind control? Posession?"

"There's a difference?"

"You'll be surprised skylark-kun."

"Oh will I, pineapple?"

"Kufufu...were you really that offended skylark-kun? Even after I made sure to add the kun part..."

"Guys, not now!" Tsuna interrupted just as Mukuro and Kyoya got their weapons out. After a moment of glaring at each other, they quietly put their weapons where they got them. Chrome breathed a sigh a relief. While Mukuro's and Kyoya's...bouts definitely weren't as life-threatening as they were when the two boys first met, they were still somewhat dangerous.

And this really wasn't the time for Mukuro and Kyoya to fight each other till they each sported new cuts and bruises.

"So uh...Chrome, what is a siren? You said that the guy might have been like a siren," Tsuna asked her once the two eldest stopped glaring at each other. That's right, she was about to explain before Kyoya dragged her and Tsuna safely home.

"They're a greek myth, but they were said to lure saliors to their deaths on the rocks just by singing," she informed them. No one spoke for a moment.

"So...that bas...I mean, uh, illegitimate son of a _cur_ ," Hayato corrected himself after Ryohei elbowed and tilted his head towards Lambo, who was currently on Tsuna's lap and sucking on his green teething toy. "Lured Tsuna with his flames so that he could be hit by a car?"

"It's beginning to sound like it," Mukuro nearly snarled.

"Makes sense to me," added Ryohei grimly.

"But why?" asked Takeshi, sounding both confused and tense at the same time. "Why did the sirens kill those sailors Chrome?"

"I don't know...I guess...," Chrome said before gulping. "For fun."

No one spoke after that, and it was no wonder. Tsuna was a genuinely nice boy who wanted everybody to be happy. So the idea of someone wanting him to die just for the giggles...was just _horrible._ Chrome was getting mad just thinking about it...and she usually didn't get mad either.

"So...now what?" Tsuna slightly squeaked out, obviously trying to sound brave when really he was scared. Chrome didn't blame him. Because...what were they going to do?

"Do you think we can get away with murder?" Hayato asked. That...was definitely not what she had in mind.

"Hayato!" exclaimed Takeshi in horror.

"We're not going to kill him!" protested Tsuna.

"But Tsuna, he tried to kill you, and that's unacceptable!" Hayato protested back.

"I agree with the adoring puppy," Mukuro supported with a finger raised.

"Hey, I'm not an adoring..."

"Nobody is going to be killing anyone understand?" Kyoya cut in swiftly and with authority, making Chrome and the others look at him. "Because _I'm_ the one who's going to be biting him to death."

"Not without me breaking his mind you're not!"

"Mukuro-sama, I think..."

"I vote that we shouldn't kill him!" Tsuna cried suddenly, raising his arm straight up in the air while the other was still holding Lambo.

"Tsuna, sorry but this isn't a place of democracy," stated Mukuro not unkindly. "So no voting."

"But I thought that Italy was democratic republic," Ryohei said, sounding a bit bewildered. Chrome stared at the white-haired boy, and judging by how everyone else was staring at him, she wasn't the only one who was surprised to hear Ryohei of all people say those words.

"What? Once I extremely got past the language barrier, I made sure to pay attention to the teachers at the orphanage to the extreme." Well, Chrome always knew that her brother wasn't dumb. Just a bad memory at times.

"But the teachers were incompetent," Mukuro voiced, sounding very incredulous.

"Were they? I just thought they were boring," Takeshi admitted. "I had to try _so_ hard to not fall asleep..."

"Apparently not hard enough, because you pretty much always failed," Hayato pointed out flatly, causing Takeshi to chuckle and stratched the back of his head. "Anyway, turf top is right, Italy is a democratic republic with a president and everything."

"So the teachers actually knew something for once?" asked Kyoya.

"I guess so," answered Hayato with a shrug. "I didn't really paid attention to them either, I just learned about Italy being a democratic republic...from when I was still living at my Father's house."

Even though he didn't say them, Chrome also heard the words, 'before I was forced to run away.'

"Then I'm voting that we don't kill him," Tsuna stated as he raised his hand in the air again.

"Tsuna..." Mukuro started to say before Takeshi raised his hand.

"I second that!"

"I extremely vote that we don't murder him!" declared Ryohei with a raised hand. "He may be evil, but straight-up murder isn't extreme either!"

"But..."

"I vote that we shouldn't murder him either!" Chrome voted with a rasied hand, interrupting Kyoya in the process.

"Chrome!" Mukuro nearly whined as he gave her a look of betrayal. Chrome had to look away so that she wouldn't feel guilty enough to back down.

"Sorry Mukuro-sama."

"I...ugh, I can't go against you Tsuna, I'm also voting against killing the man," Hayato voted resignedly as he slowly raised his hand. Kyoya sighed.

"It is probably just as well anyway. It will take a lot of work to hide the body and any clues leading back to us."

"I could have hid them with my illusions," grumbled Mukuro before turning to Lambo. "What do you think Lambo? Kill the guy before he succeeds in killing Tsuna or the rest of us or just let sleeping dogs lie?"

Lambo just cooed happily and threw his teething toy at him.

"I take that as a 'I don't know'," replied Mukuro as he have Lambo back his toy with a small smile.

"So it's agreed, no killing the man in cold blood, okay?" Tsuna prompted them. Chrome and the others, even Mukuro, voiced their agreement.

"But...that means we can still kick his butt right?" asked Hayato. "As long as we don't straight up kill him?"

"Of course octopus head! A fair fight is extreme after all! I wonder if he likes boxing..."

"Oi, did you just call me octopus-head?!"

"Why not? You called me turf-top earlier. I figured since we are brothers, I'll give you a nickname too!"

While Ryohei and Hayato both got into an 'agrument' and Kyoya admitted to Tsuna that he still planned to bite the man to death once the opportunity arose, Chrome just took a deep breath and smiled. This may not be the family that she originally hoped for, but now...she wouldn't trade them for the world.

Then she got up and helped Takeshi and Tsuna split them up. Kyoya was currently leaving the cave and Mukuro was too busy playing with Lambo and telling him what illusions he might use against the man to help.

 **I was actually planning to just go straight to the action but then I realized...I haven't written them just talking to each other so this chapter happened. I'm pleased with it, though I do wonder if the characters are a little OOC...but then they are kids and it's a different universe so maybe it makes sense? I don't know...so what do you think?**

 **Okay, here's another little poll: Do you guys want a prompt (if I get one), Gokudera's backstory (which I am going to have to do soon, it's just a matter of when/how), or the next main story chapter?**

 **Please leave a review on your way out!**


	15. Chapter 13

**Since just everybody voted for the main story to continue, here's the next chapter!**

 **Jekou: Thank you!**

 **Faceclam: Okey dokey though just to warn ya...it may not be for a little while. But hopefully not too long!**

 **I don't own KHR.**

A week or so later, Lambo got diaper rash. When it became clear that the poor baby was suffering, there was another family meeting. After some debate and dicussion, it was decided that Hayato and Chrome will go into town to buy the cream for Lambo's bottom. Hayato because he actually hasn't been in town for a while and Chrome because she knows what the man looks like, pacifier or no pacifier.

It also helped that Hayato had dynamite and Chrome could hide them in an illusion if necessary.

"See him anywhere?" asked Hayato as he and Chrome walked down the street. Chrome shook her head. Hayato sighed.

"Well, keep your eyes open. It's been a week but that doesn't mean he wouldn't remember what you looked like, if he happened to take a good loook at you that is."

"Do...Do you really think he is still here?" Chrome asked softly. "That...he is actually living here?"

Hayato didn't answer right away, pondering on what he should say. Neither him or his family have been to town since the UMA almost succeeded in killing Tsuna. While this means that they were safe from his strange siren's call, it also meant that they had no information about him. Like if he was just someone passing through or someone who just moved into town.

Or if his one chance to beat up the UMA that _dared_ to try to take his brother away from him had already packed up his bags and left town forever.

"I don't know," he ended up saying, since it was the truth. What Hayato didn't say was that he actually kind of _hoped_ that the UMA was still around. Sure, with the UMA gone it meant that Tsuna and the rest of his family was safe and they didn't have to worry anymore. And he knew that Tsuna will be perfectly happy if his attempted murderer just left without anymore incidents. And if Tsuna was happy, then Hayato was happy.

But...Tsuna was the first one, besides his Father and sister, to actually _care_ for him, to see him as a living human being with real emotions. Not to mention that Tsuna saved his life...what kind of person, no, _brother_ would he be if he didn't make sure the UMA got what he deserved?

"Um...Hayato?" Chrome asked, bringing him out of his musings as she tugged on his sleeve, stopping him in his tracks. Was it just him or does she sound nervous?

"What? Did you find him?" asked Hayato slightly hopefully as he looked at her.

"No but...do you know those guys?" she asked as she pointed to two men in suits across the street. "They...I think they're staring at you."

"They are?" Hayato looked at the men and Chrome was right, they were staring at him. Or technically, they were looking at each other but Hayato saw the glances they were sneaking at him. Whoever they are, they were really bad at being convert.

Wait...they do look familiar...why is that...

No... _Oh no._ No no no no no no!

"Chrome, we gotta go!" Hayato exclaimed as he grabbed Chrome's hand and started tugging her away.

"What is it? Who are they?" Chrome questioned, alarmed as they ran down the street. Hayato turned his head around and just about growled when he saw that the two men were chasing them down.

He should've waited to run...how much of an idiot could he be?!

"They're members of the Ricci famiglia," he finally grunted out as they turned the corner. When Chrome stayed silent, Hayato knew that he didn't have to remind her that Ricci was his original surname before he changed it to Gokudera.

Or that those two men were going to try to kill him. And heaven forbid, Chrome too.

 **Yeah, since I think Gokudera is a Japanese name, I going to assume that he changed it when he ran away from home in the anime. So...what do you think? Was anything unclear, uncharacteristic?**

 **And just so you know, the next chapter is going to be a flashback. We gotta find out why Hayato's famiglia (or ex-famiglia) is trying to kill him after all.**

 **Please leave a review on the way out and have a good night/day!**


	16. Chapter 14

**Kyong and Guest: Thanks and here you go!**

 **I don't own KHR.**

Hayato groaned as he laid in bed, as he tried for the fifth time that night to clear his mind so he could go to sleep. He took a deep breath and tried to think of nothing at all, only for his Father's last words to ring across his head.

 _"Hayato...I'm so glad that you were born."_

At that, tears fell unbidden from his red-rimmed eyes and seven-year-old Hayato decided to just give up the notion of getting a decent night's sleep. His heart ached terribly as he quietly sobbed into his pillow, and the only cure was to see his Father again.

A cure that was never going to happen again.

Before a new wave of tears and grief could wash over him, his door suddenly flew open, revealing his older sister, Bianchi.

"Hayato, get up now!" Bianchi harshly whispered, her young face stricken with fear as she rushed towards him.

"Bianchi, wha..." Hayato responded, geniunely alarmed as he began to get out of bed. But he was apparently moving too slow for Bianchi, since once she reached him, she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of bed.

"You got to get out of here!" Bianchi exclaimed as she pulled him to his dark brown dresser and with one hand opened a drawer and rummaged inside till she took out a black wallet. A black wallet that Hayato was only allowed to use for emergencies.

"But...but why? Are we being attacked?!" Hayato cried, a seed of anger growing at the thought of his famiglia getting attacked on the same day as his father's, the Don of the Ricci famiglia, funeral.

"No, but you will be if you don't leave right now," clarified Bianchi tensely as she pulled him to the tall, dark brown bookcase and pushed the middle of detailed flower carved on the side. The bookcase instantly started sliding over to the right, revealing a well-worn secret passage.

Hayato was familiar with said passage, having gone through it many times whenever a craving of adventure hits him. It has been there ever since the mansion was first built, and Hayato knew it well enough that it connects to several rooms like the dining room and his father's office.

It also leads to hollow tree several feet away from the spear-tip fence surrounding the mansion, his home.

"No!" protested Hayato as he twisted his hand away form Bianchi's tight grip. He knew that this action probably wasn't helping the situation, but he couldn't help it. Hayato needed to know exactly what his sister meant, he needed to know why it was only he that was in danger, and _how_ can he be expected to leave his _home_ when his father just died!

"Hayato! We don't..."

Then suddenly, footsteps. Not the quiet footsteps of the occasional guard patrolling the halls, but heavy, pounding ones. Maybe it was the way Bianchi's face blanched, or just the whole situation in general, but Hayato's breath got caught in his throat.

Because somehow, Hayato couldn't shake the feeling that those footsteps were leaking the essence of an impending doom.

Without a word, Bianchi quickly grabbed Hayato's hand again and tugged him inside the secret passage after her. Once inside, she pushed a button on the right side of the passage, making the bookcase slid shut behind them.

"I'll explain everything, I promise, just follow me okay?" Bianchi whispered as she turned on a flashlight and hurried down the passageway, pulling Hayato behind her. Hayato nodded, even though his older sister wasn't looking at him. His earlier resistance had been quenched by the sound of those footsteps, as well as the hope that he woudn't be running away by himself.

Why else would Bianchi be in the secret passage with him?

"Mom...I mean, _Martina_ ," Bianchi uttered with pure disgust. "She...now that Father is gone...she wants you gone too."

Hayato didn't have to ask what she meant by that. He knew ever since he was five that Martina, didn't love him. At first, Hayato was confused and hurt, and desperately tried to figure out why she didn't love him, her child. He tried many things to get her to love him, like being especially good and calm and giving her lots of flowers, but...nothing worked. Finally, he confronted his father and that's when he finally learned the truth.

Martina wasn't his mother. His real mother was Lavina, a famous pianist that died of a disease shortly after he was born. His father then showed him a picture of her. It only took one second of him staring at her green eyes and silver locks for him to believe his father.

After that, he didn't really try to win Martina's love. If she couldn't love the reminder that his father had an affair by now, then why even bother to keep on trying?

Hayato had accepted long ago that Martina will never love but he never thought that she... _hated_ him _so_ much that she actually wants him...to _die_.

"So I have to run?" asked Hayato as they continued down the passageway, even though he knew the obvious answer. Bianchi nodded anyway, her eyes gettting a little misty as they did so.

"Where...where are we going to go? Because...you're coming with me...right?"

Bianchi didn't answer as they kept on running.

"Bianchi?"

Then suddenly, they stopped running. The two children were in front of a metal door with uneven ridges carved down from top to bottom, much like a tree trunk.

They had reached the hollow tree.

"Bianchi, answer..." Without warning, Bianchi hugged him, and hugged him desperately.

"I can't," she whispered. "If I go with you, the heir to the Ricci famiglia, then they will never stop hunting me, hunting _you_ down. And...you have to _live_ Hayato. Fa...Father wanted you to live, I...I want you to _live_. So swear to me that you will live alright? Please?"

Hayato wanted to argue, to protest, but...she was right. There was no choice but for him to run away from the only home he ever knew, on the same day as his father's funeral. Alone.

"Alright...I swear. But...but where am I going to go?" Hayato asked her, his voice quivering as tears fell down his cheeks. He has done a lot of crying today, perhaps too much for a seven-year-old boy in his opinion. But honestly...Hayato didn't really care. His world was being torn apart, and he was going to have to pick up the pieces all by himself.

"I don't know," answered Bianchi truthfully as she stopped hugging him and opened the door. "But it's going to be your choice what you do from now on. You're going to be free Hayato."

When the door was all the way opened, Hayato was treated to a sight of a forest standing tall in the middle of the night. If it was any other night, Hayato would have liked the way the moonlight reflected off the green leaves.

But this was definitely the worst night of his life, so there was no way he could appreciate this small beauty.

"Now..." The sound of a stick breaking suddenly echoed through the air, cutting Bianchi off.

Please let it be a squirrel...just a stupid, harmless squirrel...

"I heard the door opened young master...just come out and I swear that I will make this quick and painless." Hayato's heart jumped to his throat as his hopes got dashed to the earth. And to make matters even worse, Hayato knew that voice. It belonged to the gardner who always smiled at him and helped him when he tried to win Martina's love with flowers.

But now even he was going to betray him...

"Of course Martina would send someone to cut him here," muttered Bianchi before suddenly giving Hayato another hug.

"Bi..."

"Please young master..." the gardner called out again as the sound of leaves and small sticks being crushed under two feet rang through the air. "I just want to get this awful deed over with."

If killing him is so awful, then why are you going through with it?!

"Run Hayato. I'll distract him, so just run and leave me behind, just like we planned. Alright?"

"But..."

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I'm the heir remember? The worst they can do is lock me up in my room for a while."

Before Hayato had the chance to say anything else, Bianchi broke the hug and pushed him out of the tree.

"NOW RUN HAYATO! AND DON'T LOOK BACK!"

And...Hayato obeyed her. He instantly ran as fast as he could, knowing that Bianchi was now probably facing the gardner with her poison cooking. As he ran past the trees that surrounded the mansion, a part of Hayato yelled at him to turn back and help Bianchi to take the gardner down. It really wasn't in his nature to run away from a fight after all. And if he was honest with himself...a part of him wanted to confront Martina too.

But...Hayato wasn't dumb. He knew that if he turned back, if he dawdled at all, his chances of surviving Martina's clutches will come closer and closer to zero. And Hayato had the feeling that Martina had order her men to kill him on sight, so his chances of confronting her were pretty much zero. Hayato also knew that he wasn't strong enough to fight his way to her either.

And he promised, he _swore_ to Bianchi that he will live. So onward Hayato ran, past the trees in the middle of the night, even though his heart was a heavy weight in his chest. The only thing that slightly eased that weight was the knowledge that Hayato had made the right decision.

Hayato continued to believe that running was the right choice, right up till two weeks later when he was in a town far, far away from the Ricci Mansion. He was walking on the streets when he happened upon two guys at a street corner talking about his famiglia. Hayato couldn't help but stop and eavesdrop.

But what Hayato heard, what he _learned_ , broke his heart and had him regretting _vehemently_ for not going back that night.

Because as it turns out, Bianchi was not the only eligible heir.

Bianchi had died that night.

 **And then Hayato reacted violently and a bit later got caught and sent to the orphanage. And it is safe to say any trust issues he has start here. Poor guy...and Martina, you have just been branded with the title of an absolute, bloodthirsty _witch_. Who unfortunately, is not to be messed with.**

 **Please leave your thoughts on this chapter in a review and I will update shortly. Thanks for reading!**


	17. Chapter 15

**Guests: Thanks for the reviews!**

 **I don't own KHR.**

"C'mon Lambo," urged Takeshi as he gently pulled his fingers away from Lambo's little grabby fingers. "You can do it!"

"Yeah, come here Lambo!" Tsuna encouraged with a clap of his hands. Not long after Hayato and Chrome left for town, Ryohei had the suggestion to try to get Lambo to walk. While Tsuna wasn't initally sure that Lambo would be up for it, everyone eventually agreed that it was worth a try. And looking at how Lambo was actually smiling right now...Takeshi could see that the distraction was working.

Of course, if Lambo actually took his first steps, that would be a plus.

"You're standing extremely well Lambo!" Ryohei complimented beside Tsuna. "Now take your first extreme step into manhood!"

"Uh oniisan...he's only one-year-old..." Tsuna told him.

"So...first extreme step into toddlerhood?" Takeshi asked.

"Extremely works for me!"

"Everyone pay attention, he's about to take a step," Kyoya ordered. Takeshi immediately turned his eyes to Lambo, and saw that the little boy was picking his foot up.

"That's it..." Tsuna urged.

"You can do it!" encouraged Takeshi.

"Yeah, you can extremely do it!"

"Just pick up your foot a little bit more small herbivore."

"Kufufu, you're almost there Lambo."

Lambo's green eyes narrowed in intense concentration as he slowly but steadily lift his foot up in the air before moving it forward.

His little foot landed safely on the ground. And though a little shaky, Lambo's body was not in danger of toppling over either.

"Extreme!"

"That's it! Now take another one! Try to get to me!" exclaimed Tsuna as he reached his arms out a little further. Lambo giggled and then he took another step with great success.

"Go Lambo go!" Takeshi encouraged as he made to stay behind with hands outreached, just in case Lambo took a tumble.

Lambo successfully took his third step, his smile growing by the second.

"Kufufu, this is actually more exciting than I thought it was going to be."

A fourth step was taken without a hitch. Lambo only needed about two more steps in order to reach Tsuna.

"Keep on going little herbivore, you can do it."

Lambo giggled again when he took yet another step without a problem.

"C'mon Lambo, you're almost there, c'mon," Tsuna urged with a wide smile. For a moment, Lambo just stood there, his green eyes twinkling with delight and his little body trembling slightly.

Then he took the step, right into Tsuna's arms.

"Tsu!" cried Lambo victoriously.

"You did it!" cheered Tsuna as he gave the victorous Lambo a great big hug.

"Extreme! You were very extreme Lambo!" Ryohei yelled happily as he took Lambo from Tsuna and swung Lambo around in the air, the toddler laughing the whole time.

"See, I knew you could do it," stated Kyoya with a smile as he rubbed Lambo's dark brown curls (once Ryohei was done swinging Lambo around that is) affectionately.

"Way to go Lambo!" congratulated Takeshi as he went over and offered Lambo a high five, which the little boy accepted with another gleeful laugh. Takeshi laughed, truly happy that Lambo had accomplished such a great milestone.

It was moments like these that Takeshi thanked the stars that they all decided to run away from the orphanage when they did. Because if they hadn't, there was no way they weren't have been able to see Lambo take his first steps.

"Kufufu, boy, are Hayato and Chrome going to be mad that they weren't..." Mukuro started to say with a smirk before suddenly going paler than usual, the rest of his sentence left hanging in the air.

"Mukuro?" asked Tsuna, sounding very concerned. Takeshi didn't blame him. Any traces of Mukuro's smirk were completely gone. As such, an uncertain dread began to twist around in Takeshi's stomach, much like how a snake moves around in its small dark den.

"What happened? What's the matter?" Kyoya all but ordered Mukuro, his pleased expression now switched for a serious one. Instead of answering, Mukuro closed his heterochromatic eyes tightly shut and took a deep breath. Before Takeshi or anyone could say his name or what was the matter again, Mukuro opened his eyes.

And they were full of fiery rage.

"The blasted Ricci famiglia has finally found Hayato. He and Chrome are on the run, but the Ricci thugs are quickly catching up to them. We gotta go now!"

And just like that, anxiety clenched his heart tightly as dread threatened to make his stomach its permanent home.

 **So we have a fluffy moment to have some light after the last chapter (and because I realized that being a one means that Lambo should be talking/starting to learn how to walk), and a moment where the others realize that yep, Hayato and Chrome are in trouble.**

 **Please tell me what you thought about this chapter (like were the characters in character, was Lambo walking cute/accurate to real babies walking, etc) in a review and I will update shortly so you can know what is going to happen to Hayato and Chrome.**

 **Have a good day/night!**


	18. Chapter 16

**For those who are curious/confused about how old the kids are, here are their ages at this point in time.**

 **Kyoya-12**

 **Mukuro and Ryohei-11**

 **Takeshi-10**

 **Hayato and Tsuna-9**

 **Chrome-8**

 **Lambo-1**

 **I don't own KHR.**

"I've told Mukuro-sama!" Chrome cried as they ran down the streets and pass ignorant passerbys. "He and the others are on their way!"

"Good, now we just gotta hang on till then," grunted Hayato as he risked a glance behind them. Chrome didn't know what he saw, but whatever it was made his green eyes narrow as he turned back around. "Chrome, which is better, invisibility or duplicates?"

"Invisibility," she said without hesitation, already knowing where he was going with this.

"Okay, right after we turn the corner, make us invisible alright?"

"Right." She can do this. She _has_ to.

"Ready...set..." Hayato prepared her as they ran around a couple holding hands. Then they turned the corner. "Now."

Without hesitation, Chrome pulled out her trident and covered her and Hayato in an illusion of invisibility to the best of her ability. Judging by how some of the people on the sidewalk seemed like they were looking right through them, Chrome assumed that her efforts were a success.

Mukuro would be proud of her.

But they coudn't celebrate just yet. Obviously knowing this, Hayato tugged her down an empty alleyway and didn't stop till they were behind a dumpster. The next second found Chrome sitting on the alleyway, the slightly cool metal of the green dumpster against her back as she forced herself to take quiet breaths.

Even though they were in a position that no one in the street would be able to see them, Chrome kept up her illusions. If she didn't and the men after her brother's life decided to search the alleyway...they would be in trouble.

Especially since this alleyway had a dead end in a form of a tall brick wall.

 _"Chrome?"_ Mukuro asked suddenly through their mental link. _"Are you and Hayato still okay?"_

Though Chrome really didn't like how Mukuro's mental voice was practically dripping with anxiety...she would be lying if she didn't feel kind of pleased that Mukuro cared about her (and Hayato) so.

It wasn't so long ago that she used to live with a mother that hated her so much that she ended up selling her only child to the Estraneo.

 _"Yeah, I made us invisible and we're hiding behind a dumpster in an alleyway."_

 _"How long can you last?"_

It was no secret that while Chrome was indeed talented with illusions...she didn't have the stamina to keep on producing them for long periods of time. It was reason why Chrome for now preferred the defensive-type illusions over the offensive kind.

Offensive illusions used up too much of her precious stamina too quickly.

 _"I...I will hold on as long as I need to."_ Chrome didn't have another choice. It would be one thing if it was just her, but Hayato was the one they were really hunting for. She _will_ not let them hurt him.

 _"Okay, Kyoya, Ryohei, and I are halfway there,"_ Mukuro told her. _"So just hold on a little longer."_

 _"Alright."_ Chrome would have said something else but then a certain sound echoed down the alleyway.

It was clearly a footstep.

Hayato clenched her hand tightly and Chrome responded in kind. Please don't let them find us...

The footstep was followed by another, then one more, and then many more in quick succession.

It became obvious that instead of one pair of footsteps...there were two.

Chrome's breath seemed to be caught in her throat as her heart began to pound heavily in her chest. And to make matters worse, her grasp on her illusion was slipping. Whether it was because of her decreasing stamina or her increasing fear, Chrome wasn't sure. Perhaps it was both.

She could only hope that she could keep holding on.

Then suddenly, a pair of black shoes came into view Chrome gulped as she looked up into a man with straight dark hair, his dark eyes carefully taking everything in sight.

Keep it together...

The man's dark eyes then landed exactly on them.

Hold on just a little longer...

Still looking at them, the mafioso gave a wide, toothy smile.

No...there's no way...her illuision is still up! There's no way he could...

"Not bad, but unfortunately for you girl..." the mafioso then drew a pistol and pointed it right at Chrome. "I'm an illusionist too."

And with that, he began to squeeze the trigger.

Chrome immediately dropped her illusion of invisibility and tried to conjure a lava geyser.

But because of her now low stamina...she was having trouble. No matter how much she willed it...no matter how much she pushed through her shallow breathing and shaky arms...the lava geyser that could save their lives was not going to appear in time.

But...but...she had to protect Hayato! She _had_ to! She promised Mukuro that she will hold on!

The man was a second away from firing his gun, which was still aiming right at the head.

Chrome was going to die.

"NO! NOT AGAIN!"

Then suddenly, Chrome felt a hand tug her backwards.

 _BANG!_

 _BOOM!_

 **...yep. We're ending this on a cliffhanger. Sorry not sorry. And for those who are wondering (and just in case I forget to clarify later on), Chrome does still has her organs (Since I'm not sure Mukuro would have a good enough knowledge of organs and their functions at 11). But her time at Estraneo has left her with poor stamina and only one eye.**

 **For those who have questions, constructive feedback, or just want to react, please leave me a review. And who knows, if I get enough reviews...I just might put up the next chapter by next week. ;)**

 **Have a good weekend!**


	19. Chapter 17

**Look at that, I actually updated when I said I was going to! Yes!**

 **I don't own KHR.**

Chrome grunted as she landed roughly on her back, wincing a bit at the pain. But luckily, the pain subsided quickly enough for her to sit back up without much trouble, despite her low stamina.

She was treated to a sight of Hayato standing in front of her protectively, albeit his body shaking a little. And the mafioso, the one who was about to kill her, was now covered in blood, burnt patches of skin, and scorched clothes. The man's dark eyes then rolled back before falling onto the dirty alleyway ground on his back, his gun dropping uselessly on the ground beside him.

Chrome couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Her and Hayato were still alive.

"Peter!" exclaimed an unfamiliar voice, who Chrome assumed belonged to the other mafioso. They weren't out of this yet.

"Hay.." Chrome started to say as she started to stand up, only for her brother to interrupt her.

"Chrome...get the gun." Without another word, Hayato fell straight backwards right onto Chrome, successfully stopping her attempts to get up. Chrome let out a small grunt as she instinctively caught him, confused to what just happened.

She opened her mouth to ask him such when she saw it.

There was blood seeping from a hole in Hayato's chest.

"Hay...Hayato?" Chrome asked, her voice quivering as her hand shakily began to press down on his wound. This can't be...Hayato can't be...

Her older brother didn't respond. Instead, he just laid there in Chrome's arms, face pale and his body deathly still. And despite the pressure she was putting on his wound, his precious blood was still flowing from his chest like a horrible waterfall.

But...but at least Chrome could hear his labored breathing. Sure, it was too raspy and quiet, but it was there. Hayato wasn't dead.

Yet.

"Tch...well, at least you managed to shoot the good-for-nothing brat," the other mafioso said, who was finally in Chrome's point-of-view. Chrome gulped, her violet eye widening as she realized that the second mafioso was between her and the gun.

The one thing that Hayato told her to do before he...fainted...and she couldn't even get a hold of herself to do it?!

It was then that she made a split-second decision. Mukuro might not be too happy, but he had to know.

And she couldn't go down without a fight. Not when Hayato... _took_ a bullet for _her_ , and especially not when there was a chance that Hayato could still live.

Even though...Chrome was afraid to admit that it was probably really small.

"But now little girl...what exactly should I do with you?" the mafioso asked her rhetorically, as he rubbed a scarred hand through his blond hair.

 _"Mukuro-sama, they...they shot Hayato! He's still alive but...it's..really bad. Hayato took down one of them though. And I'm going to do all I can to take down the only left."_

Before Mukuro could respond, Chrome cut off their connection. She needed all the energy she could get if she wanted to defeat this mafioso successfully.

"I mean, technically I could let you go, but unfortunately you've seen too much," mused the blond mafioso as Chrome gently set Hayato down on the ground. When she finally took off her hand off his wound, she almost gagged at the sight of her palm being drenched with her brother's blood. The salty and rusty smell of the blood definitely didn't help.

But she pushed through it. Because even though Chrome was also still feeling the effects of keeping her and Hayato invisible, she couldn't afford to give up now.

And with that she grasped her trident tightly and focused.

"But maybe I can play...oh sh!" the rest of mafioso's words died in the air he realized the glowing puddle of lava and tried to dodge to the side. But then the lava geyser erupted with full force, hiding the fate of mafioso from Chrome's single eye. But even so, Chrome kept up the illusion.

She had to take him down.

It was only when the geyser had been erupting for about fifteen seconds, enough to knock anybody out, did Chrome take her illusion down. As soon as she did, Chrome's small body shuddered violently and she was forced to lean on her trident.

Gasping violently, Chrome looked up. Did...did she do it?

Her purple eye widened with disbelief and horror.

"H-Holy...if I hadn't moved as much as I did..." the blond mafiso spat out in fear and shaky relief, his whole body looking quite battered. "Oh heck, if I didn't have lightning flames..."

The blond mafioso then looked straight at Chrome, and despite Chrome's fading and blurry vision, she could see the murderous glint in his blue eyes.

"I definitely would have been out of the count. Maybe even for _good_."

No...not after she gave it her all...

"Well," he continued as he pulled out a gun. "At least I know what to do with..."

 _BANG!_

The man instantly fell to his side with a thud, his eyes blank and wide open, and blood covering the side of his head. Even though Chrome could feel her brain shutting down, she still had enough awareness to realized what just happened.

But...but who?

Then she became aware of approaching footsteps. Whether it was because her brain shutting down or because she was desperate, Chrome hoped that the footsteps belonged to her family.

Even though none of them owned a gun.

It was with this hope in her heart that Chrome forced her trembling body to crawl forward till she could see past the dumpster and to the end of alleyway that opened up to the street.

Chrome did see someone walking towards her, but even though she was close to blacking out, Chrome knew that the figure wasn't one of her brothers.

The figure was too tall.

None of her brothers had a fedora.

Or a yellow pacifer for that matter.

"Chaos."

Then Chrome knew no more.

 **I'm not going to lie...this chapter, oh heck, the whole story in general, has turned out a little more dark than I planned. Oh well, as long as the story is good.** **Just like some of you hoped, Reborn has reentered the fray! I was actually planning on...someone else coming in at the last moment but seeing some of your reviews...I decided that this works better.**

 **So...what did you think? Was Chrome in character? Do you think Hayato is going to make it? What about Mukuro, Kyoya, and Ryohei? When are they going to arrive at the scene? Please leave a review and I will update shortly. Have a good day/night!**


	20. Chapter 18

**Guest: Thanks for reviewing/reacting to this story!**

 **I don't own KHR.**

"Mukuro?!" Ryohei cried out in concern and alarm. Kyoya skidded to a stop and looked behind him to see Mukuro just standing there. Kyoya would have snapped at him if it wasn't for the fact that Mukuro's face was even paler than before and that his eyes were wide with horror.

And with the way he had his hands over his mouth and his body was trembling...it really looked like Mukuro was going to be sick.

"Are you going to throw up?" Ryohei asked, obviously on the same track as Kyoya.

"Ryohei stay here with him till he's better," Kyoya ordered, thinking fast because the time for hesitation had long since passed. "I'll go on ahead..."

"T-They shot Hayato!"

For a moment...Kyoya could only stand there in shock, his brain slowly but surely absorbing the horrible words. Then, truly unbidden, the image of his mother's lifeless and bloody body lying on the floor flashed in his mind, seizing both body and lungs up.

No...not again! Not Hayato!

"Is...is he..."

"Chrome wait!" Mukuro interrupted Ryohei with a deserpate shout. "No...no! Chrome why..."

"What happened?" Kyoya demanded of him, using all the self control he had to keep to keep his voice firm and calm. He was the oldest, thus it was up to him to be the leader and the firm rock for his younger siblings to lean on in situations like these.

Even though he felt _far_ from calm.

Hayato...Chrome...

"Hayato's still alive but he's not doing good and...and Chrome cut our connection off! Right after she told me she was going to fight the mafioso with all her remaining strength!" Mukuro exclaimed. "We gotta get there now!"

And with that, Mukuro started running towards town again, only this time he was much faster than before.

"Hang on Hayato! Hang on Chrome!" Ryohei almost screamed as he followed suit. "We're coming!"

Kyoya quickly followed suit, hoping beyond all hope that they would get there in time. While relieved that Hayato was still alive, that relief was rather small since it was obviously clear that he was dying. And if that wasn't enough Chrome, his dear sweet sister, was pratically sacrificing herself to stop the ones that put them in this situation in the first place.

And since she cut the connection between her and Mukuro off, Kyoya and the others will have no way of knowing their fate till they got there.

Needless to say, Kyoya was going to do more than bite the two mafia men to death once he finally catches them.

As they continued to race against the clock, Kyoya found himself wishing that he and his siblings lived closer to town. Maybe then they would have gotten to their siblings before the herbivores did. Then they would have been able to take down the _herbivores_ and Hayato would not have gotten shot. And Chrome would not be in danger of exhausting herself to death. Or being killed by the patethic herbivores that dared to attack his pack for that matter.

Oh if only he was there to begin with!

Though on that train of thought...why didn't he go to town with them?! Or better yet, why didn't he go to town by himself?! None of this would have happened if he had just done that! What was point of calling himself the leader and protector of his pack, his _family_ , if he couldn't make the right decisions?!

"Finally! There's the town!" Ryohei called out as they cleared the hill that overlooked the town. If Kyoya wasn't using his breath to run, he would have sighed in slight relief. He was actually beginning to think that the town was never going to show up.

It didn't take long for them to enter town and even though there were a quite a few crowding herbivores, Kyoya and his brothers didn't slow down. They couldn't afford to. They had to get to them before they lose Hayato and Chrome forever!

It was right about then that Kyoya realized the... _horrible_ truth of their situation. Even if they got to their siblings in time...there was still no guarantee that Hayato will live. Hayato's gunshot wound wasn't something that could be cured by over-the-counter medicine like Kyoya's pneumonia.

The only way to save Hayato would be...to get him to a doctor.

"Alleyway with a dumpster...alleyway with a dumpster," Kyoya heard Mukuro mutter as they raced down the sidewalks, all of them peering into each alleyway that they pass. Oh come on, where are they?! They can't be too late, they just _can't_...

"Here's one with a dumpster!" Ryohei cried as he took a sharp right turn into an alleyway. Which while it indeed had a dumpster, it was completely empty of humans.

"Wait Ryohei!" Mukuro called out as he followed Ryohei. "There's no one...oh no."

Kyoya, who had stopped at the edge of the alleyway, felt his heart skip a beat at the way those last two words were just dripping with certain dread. Even though there was a part of him that honestly didn't want to, Kyoya walked into the alleyway, his body slightly trembling with exhaustion and fear, and asked the obvious question.

"What's the matter?"

Instead of answering, Mukuro took in deep breath and let it out. Meanwhile, Ryohei went to look behind the dumpster before going back to them, with a scared, disappointed, and guilty expression.

"I...I thought they still might have been behind the dumpster..." Ryohei mumbled right before Mukuro finally answered Kyoya's question.

"Blood. It's faint but...I smell blood."

Kyoya instantly strain his nose and till his ever-growing horror...Mukuro was right. It was faint but the rusty smell of blood was still there. And once Kyoya recognized it, the smell penetrated his senses to the point where the twelve-year-old felt like it would never leave again.

Did the blood...belong to Hayato? Chrome? Both of them?!

Once he gets his hands on those mafiosi...

"Blood? But I don't see any blood!" Ryohei pointed out. Which was true, from what Kyoya could see, there wasn't a speck of that red lifeforce on the ground. "And there wasn't any behind...uh guys...that's a vulture right?"

Kyoya looked up and saw a big bird with gray feathers and a sharp curved beak perched on the edge of a rooftop. It's black eyes were surprisingly not on them, but on the dumpster.

Or rather, inside.

If Mukuro confirmed Ryohei's question, Kyoya didn't hear it as he walked to the dumpster. Because even though he was walking calmly, he could only hear the storm of apprehension and dread swirling inside of him.

Please...don't let them be in there...please don't let us have come all this way only for us to be too late...please...

Don't have me fail them.

Once there, Kyoya jumped and grabbed the top edge of the green container and pulled himself up far enough so he could look inside it. Then with a deep, albeit slightly shaky breath, he looked down.

The bodies of his brother and sister were not in the dumpster. Instead, two men in black suits were lying in the dumpster, clearly dead.

Even though he was... _relieved_ that the vulture hadn't been looking to eat the remains of his siblings, he was still concerned and afraid. Because there was _no way_ that Chrome had enough stamina to keep her and Hayato invisible, defeat two mafiosi, clear up the blood, _and_ haul two dead bodies into the dumpster.

Which brings the question...who did?

And the more important question...where are Hayato and Chrome?

 **Well...that is unfortunate. But at least Kyoya and the others still have hope that their siblings are alive...for now. So what did you think of this chapter? Was Kyoya in character? I am a bit worried that he was a bit OOC but considering this is a high tense situation and he is still a kid...maybe it makes sense. And it's not like Kyoya was letting Mukuro and Ryohei know that he was scared...willingly anyway.**

 **So here is another poll for you guys...do you want the next chapter to be about Kyoya's backstory or what happens next in the main story? Either way honestly works for me.**

 **Please leave a review on the way out and have a good day/night!**

 **P.S. Fun fact, vultures were almost extinct in Italy but have luckily made a comeback. Something I learned as I did some research for this story.**


	21. Chapter 19

**I don't own KHR.**

They didn't find them.

No matter how much Ryohei and his brothers searched, they couldn't find Hayato or Chrome. They couldn't even find a _hint_ of where the missing siblings could have gone.

Or...if they were even still alive.

Ryohei sighed as he rubbed his eyes with a weary hand. The sun had nearly finished setting by the time they called off the search, and even then the only reason they stopped was because Takeshi, Tsuna, and Lambo were waiting for them. Alone.

Ryohei flinched as he remembered when he, Kyoya, and Mukuro finally came back to the cave, to find Tsuna and Takeshi right by the entrance, both of them sitting as still as doorknobs and quiet as mice. Even Lambo was quiet, sitting calmly on Tsuna's lap as he chewed on his teething toy.

At first, Tsuna and Takeshi had looked relieved that they were finally home, as well as hopeful. But their faces quickly fell when they saw that their older siblings had failed to bring Hayato and Chrome safely home.

They were still hopeful that Hayato and Chrome were alive though, especially Takeshi. In fact...now that Ryohei really thought about it...Takeshi seemed... _adament_ about it. Like...he was refusing to believe in the possibility that they were...gone forever.

Oh man did that bring forth memories that Ryohei would rather not remember right now.

But...Ryohei couldn't blame his younger brother. Though not nearly as often as before, Takeshi will still occasionally wake up in the middle of night screaming his heart out. Sometimes his screams will be wordless, and others, he will scream 'Pops.'

To be facing with the very real possibility that his brother and sister were murdered too...it is no wonder that Takeshi wants to deny it.

Groaning a bit, Ryohei decided that sleep wasn't going to come to him any time soon so he got out of his makeshift bed and walked carefully and quietly to the entrance of the cave. When he got there, he sighed, scratched his white-haired head, and looked up at the sky. The sky in question looked liked it was covered in a thick black blanket that had bright white spots dotting all over it.

Hayato...Chrome...are you two looking up at the sky right now? Or are you...looking down at us?

Ryohei bit his lip when he felt tears threatening to spill from his eyes. He was the third oldest of their family, he had to be strong for Takeshi, Tsuna, and Lambo. Sure, they may be sleeping right now, but that didn't mean they couldn't be woken up by the sound of him crying.

"Sniff...sniff." Ryohei instantly turned around and listened closely, ever the attentive brother.

A second passed by in silence.

Just when Ryohei thought that maybe he was just hearing things, that sniffing sound came again.

Which was immediately followed by a small and quiet sob.

Heart threatening to break, Ryohei walked back to his brothers, his gray eyes searching among them to see who was trying to cry without disturbing the others.

His heart did break when he did find the source.

It was Takeshi.

Takeshi, his young face torn with grief and hopelessness, clearly didn't see Ryohei as the older brother walked towards him, too focused on muffling his sobs with his fist. And Ryohei noticed that he continued to be unaware of him, right up until Ryohei laid right beside him and pulled the younger boy to his chest.

The tall and dark-haired boy stiffened a bit in surprise before relaxing in Ryohei's arms.

"I'm..."

"I was already awake," Ryoehi whispered before Takeshi could apologize for something that was absolutely not his fault.

No one spoke for a moment.

"They're...they're d-dead...arent't they?"

Oh how Ryohei, with all of his broken heart, wished that he could say no. That he could just assure his little brother that of course Hayato and Chrome were still alive. That of course the two were okay, they had just yet to find them. He would then say that they would find Hayato and Chrome to the extreme, which will cause Takeshi to smile and maybe laugh.

But...but Ryohei remembered how _devasted_ when he felt when Kyoko died. Maybe if he had just accepted the possibility that Kyoko really was dying, he wouldn't have felt so full of despair.

And perhaps...he could've been a better big brother when she needed him the most.

Denial in the face of grief really does make everything worse, not better.

"...It's...Prob...there's a good chance that...they're n-not alive yeah," Ryohei finally answered, his voice quivering with strong emotion. "But..."

Whatever comfort Ryohei was going to give him abruptly ended when Takeshi desperately grabbed the front of Ryohei's shirt and started sobbing even more than before.

The sound of Takeshi's muffled yet agonzing sobs instantly broke Ryohei's control over his tears, which honestly wasn't that much to begin with. Quickly deciding that Takeshi needed to cry first before hearing comforting words, Ryohei hugged his younger brother tighter and cried softly into the ten-year-old's black hair. However, despite grieving himself, Ryohei still had the mind to rub Takeshi's back as soothingly as he could.

He was still the older brother after all.

Even when he felt the opposite of extreme.

 **And that's the end! Just kidding, we're not close to the end...yet. But yeah, there is not much hope in this chapter. Knowing that your brother got shot and your sister has weak stamina _and_ not knowing where they are...can definitely do that.**

 **But what are your thoughts on this chapter? Please tell me whatever it is you thought in a review and I will update soon! See you all later and have a good day/night!**


	22. Chapter 20

**I don't own KHR.**

At first, she wasn't even aware that she was awake. All her mind was able to register was that whatever she was lying on, it was soft. Really soft actually...too soft.

She wasn't in the cave.

And with that, Chrome remembered _everything_.

"Hayato!" Chrome cried as she shot her eye open, only to have to close it because the light was too bright. She waited a few seconds before she opened it again, this time as slowly as she could. Chrome still ended up having to blink a few times in order for her vision to clear up but before she knew it her surroundings became clear to her.

She was in a bedroom. A bedroom that had bright-colored flowers and green vines imprinted all over the warm-yellow walls. Chrome could see real flowers in a blue vase on a small table by the window, which overlooked a rich green, grassy field. The door and the few chairs in the room, as well as the small table, all had a design of some sort, making Chrome wonder if they were actually hand carved.

All in all...Chrome had a deep suspicion that wherever she was, this room belonged to a rich person.

Was that person with the yellow pacifier rich?

Why did he save her?

Where was Hayato?

Chrome started to get up only to find that her body was extremely sore and that it felt like someone had placed ten-pound weights on her arms and legs. There was also a small prick of pain in her arm, causing the young girl to look to her left.

To her surprise, there was an IV needle taped to her arm, connecting her to the small clear bag on a gray metal stand next to her bed.

Was...was she not in a bedroom but in...a hospital room? A...fancy hospital room?

A grunt suddenly broke her out of her thoughts.

Startled, Chrome gasped as she looked to her right, a bit afraid of what or who she might find.

She saw Hayato.

Her silver-haired brother was sleeping on the bed next to her, a oxygen mask covering his nose and mouth and an IV drip in his arm. His face was scrunched up in slight discomfort before easing into a peacful expression.

He was alive. Her brother was unconscious, but alive.

"Oh thank goodness," Chrome breathed out, pure relief swarming through her body as she let her head drop back down to her pillow. "He's okay...Hayato's okay. He's gonna be okay."

"Are you serious?! Reborn just dropped two kids off without so much as an explanation and left?!"

And with that, her pure relief got tainted with fear and apprehension. That unfamiliar voice belonged to a grown man, a grown man that definitely did not sound happy.

"Yes, and please keep it down, the poor kids don't need that kind of ultimate wake up call."

This voice, while unfamiliar and male as well, at least sounded calm and... kindly. Maybe.

"What is that supposed to mean?!"

"Calm down G, Knuckle just doesn't want the kids to be frightened. They are in a strange place after all, it would make things worse if they wake up to a stranger yelling in the hallway."

Chrome found herself agreeing with the third voice.

The first voice, or G, didn't respond right away.

"Ugh, fair enough. So what's the second thing I should know?" At this point, the voices sounded like they were just outside the door, making Chrome's anxiety grow. After all, just because two of the men sounded like kind people, doesn't mean that they actually are.

And besides, even if the men were actually good people, it doesn't mean that her and Hayato's troubles were over. Because if they found out that Chrome and Hayato were living with their siblings in a cave...they would no doubt be torn away from each other without a second thought.

The men would call it 'helping.'

What should she do?

"You...may just want to see for yourself," said the third voice, sounding somewhat nervous. The doorknob then started to turn and in a moment of either pure desperation or brillance, Chrome closed her purple eye and pretended she was asleep.

They can't question her if they think she's sleeping right?

"Is it really that...oh," G responded as Chrome heard the door open. " _Oh._ "

Please let them be fooled, please let them be fooled...

"Whatever you do, please don't scream," whispered the one whose name Chrome believed was Knuckle. "As you can see, they're still asleep."

Yes! They believed that she was still sleeping! Though...why did Knuckle think that G will suddenly start screaming?

"Okay...then I will admit something...very personal...very calmly. I am still a virgin, so there is _no way_ he is my child."

A bunch of questions suddenly started buzzing around like bees in Chrome's head, ranging from 'men can be virgins?' to 'what exactly is a virgin anyway?' But the one most prominent was 'why does G think that the others believe that Hayato is his child?'

Despite herself, Chrome gave in to her curiousity and risked peeking a little.

What she saw...made her one working eye shot wide open in shock.

The three men...looked just like her brothers. Very eerily so. Sure, they were clearly much older than her brothers, and some of the hair or eye coloring was different, but if Chrome didn't know better, she was looking right at Hayato's, Ryohei's, and Takeshi's fathers.

"Oh, you're awake! That's an ultimate relief!" exclaimed the one who could have been Ryohei's father happily

...Darn it.

 **So yeah...the first generation has entered the field! Woo, this is gonna be interesting! And G is a virgin:) So what did you think of the chapter? Please leave a review on the way out and I will update shortly! See ya till then and have a good night/day!**


	23. Chapter 21

**Before we start, I would like to thank you for all the reviews for the last chapter! I was stunned and touched by your reactions and words. So, thank you all. I really appreciated it.**

 **Now on to the story!**

 **I don't own KHR.**

Kyoya was going to lose it soon. _Completely_ and _utterly_ lose it. He was trying to save his rage for whoever took his siblings away from him but with the way things are now...Kyoya wasn't sure if he will be able to wait that long. As things stand now, the next time some lousy herbivore 'accidently' bumped into him, he might just bite them to death.

 _Maliciously._

"Omph, oh sorry Kyoya," mumbled Ryohei as he stumbled right into Kyoya's back. Kyoya turned to look at him just in time to see Ryohei rub his gray eyes, both of which have dark circles underneath them.

Dark circles that were not there yesterday.

"Hn," Kyoya grunted as he lightly tousled Ryohei's white hair, attempting his best to be comforting.

Because even though he could be annoying loud at times, Ryohei was still his brother and thus was not in his list of lousy herbivores.

And never will be.

Apparently tousling his hair seemed to do the trick, because Ryohei smiled a little before continuing the search. It was the next day and even though he, Mukuro, and Ryohei had gotten a good early start, they had yet to find any signs of Hayato or Chrome's whereabouts.

Kyoya didn't know which was worse, not knowing where they are, or not knowing if they were alive or not.

Though...perhaps they go hand and hand.

Kyoya sighed as he looked at all his surroundings. There were plenty of herbivores who didn't understand the concept of personal space, as well as plenty of stores that sold clothes, food, and other items. Mukuro and Ryohei were also nearby, looking all around them with desperate yet solemn eyes.

But no Chrome or Hayato.

Where are you two?

Who took you away? Why? Why take you but leave the two mafioso who attacked you in the dumpster?

Did they take you away to save you? Or did they 'save' you for their own selfish means?

Are you two together? Or are you two separated from each other?

Are you alive?

Is one of you alive and the other...

This seemingly unending spiral of questions suddenly rolled to a stop when he heard a familiar voice.

"Why did you cut me off Chrome? Was it really necessary?" Kyoya turned his head to see Mukuro blankly staring into a store window, clearly unaware of Kyoya. Kyoya has never seen him look more despondent.

While he would never admit it...Kyoya's heart went for him. Not only because Mukuro was his brother too, but Kyoya knew how he felt.

Kyoya knew how it felt to have someone there the one minute, and suddenly gone the next. Because while he never had quite a mental connection with anyone like the one between Mukuro and Chrome, he was quite close to his parents.

His mother was a beautiful and soft-spoken woman, who greeted everyone she saw with a small, polite smile. That is everyone except for the people she loved, like her husband and her son. For them, Kyoya's mother gave them smiles full of never-ending love. She also was the kind of woman who prided herself in taking every step gracefully yet powerfully.

So it was really no surprise that when intruders rushed into their home, that his mother ordered Kyoya, who was only five at the time, to stand back before attacking them (and yes, he obeyed her, he knew better than to disobey her in that kind of situation. And besides, he wanted to see her fight). She fought with the grace and strength of a true carnivore, never once letting her prey get a step closer to her cub.

And she would have won the battle, _no..._ she _did_ win the battle. Kyoya's mother just would have lived if a red dot hadn't suddenly appeared right over Kyoya's heart.

Kyoya will never forget how his mother's gray eyes widened before rushing over to cover him with her body.

He will never forget the gunshot, nor the way his mother's body covulsed with pain at the bullet made contact.

He will never forget how she looked at him, her face full of pain and love, before grabbing the nearest gun and shooting it in the direction the gunshot came from. A few seconds later, Kyoya heard a loud thud in the distance.

Kyoya will definitely never forget the way she turned back to face him, her rose-colored lips curved up to give him one last smile full of never-ending love.

And then she closed her gray eyes and fell. She never moved again.

Kyoya doesn't know how long he knelt by his mother's body, shaking her and ordering her to wake up. He doesn't remember how long it took for him to realize that she was dead. But when he did...his heart hurt. So much to the point where he actually cried.

When his father came rushing home to see Kyoya crying over his mother's body, he didn't say anything at first. He just stood there for a few seconds, his brown eyes solemnly taking in the scene. Kyoya's father then walked over to them and gathered Kyoya into his arms (Kyoya for once didn't protest at all). It was then that Kyoya's father promised that he will punish the ones responsible for his mother's death.

It didn't take long for him, the police captain of Namimori, to fulfill his promise. A day or so after his mother's funeral, Kyoya's father left beautiful Japan for Italy, taking Kyoya with him. Kyoya vaguely remembered some of his relatives questioning his father's decision to take Kyoya with him and offering to look after him. But Kyoya's father just put his foot down and told them that there was no way he was going to leave his son in the hands of defenseless herbivores.

He then glared them into submission to prove his point.

So to Italy they went, and Kyoya hated it. Namimori didn't nearly have as much crowding herbivores that Italy seemed to have, and to make things worse, he didn't know a lick of Italian. But the ones responsible for his mother's death were here, so Kyoya forced himself to put up with it.

Soon after they arrived, they went to a police station where after Kyoya's father talked to some of the police officers, he knelt down in front of Kyoya. He told him that he was going to go after his mother's murderers now and asked him to behave for the Italian police while he waited.

Kyoya will always remember how he scoffed and said that he was always behaved. His father then chuckled and tousled his hair.

Kyoya will never forget that his father then said 'if you say so, my little carnivore,' before leaving with some of the Italian policemen.

He never came back.

According to the policemen who came back, his father died right after he took down the last murderer.

According to them, if it wasn't for his father's sacrifice, many good policemen and innocent civilians would have perished.

According to them, his father was a hero who kept his promise.

But all Kyoya could think about was how stern yet gentle his father could be. How he rarely smiled but when he did those smiles were always very sincere. How he was a man whose aura demanded respect because he was a powerful carnivore.

And how he was never going to see him again.

Once again, Kyoya's heart hurt to the point where he had no choice but to cry softly. A part of him didn't want to because he was alone with strangers but he was only five. He didn't have as much control as he does now over his tear ducts.

Kyoya sighed as he shook his head to stop himself from going any further down memory lane. There was still a chance that Hayato and Chrome were still alive. And as long as that chance is still there, then he, Kyoya, will continue to search for them, not reminisce about how he lost his parents.

Even though there was no sign as to where they could be.

Even though there was no sign as to who took them.

Even though Chrome had yet to contact Mukuro since yesterday.

Even though...Hayato had been shot. Just like his parents. And they died.

Making the chances of Hayato surviving compared to Chrome are...are...

That much more slim.

"Darn it!" Kyoya all but yelled as he punched the nearest wall, unable to control himself anymore. He gritted his teeth as his heart squeezed panifully in his chest. It wasn't as painful as when his parents died, but Kyoya knew that was only because he honestly wasn't sure if his siblings were dead or not.

But...his heart still hurt. Because not long after he first met Tsuna and later the others at the orphanage...when he first realized that he had gotten attached to them...he swore an oath. He swore to himself that he will protect them. That he will keep them safe, and that he wouldn't let them die like his parents.

But look at him now. A brother _and_ a sister missing without a trace. And the last they heard, one of them had been badly shot and the other was on the verge of collapse. And the rest of his family, while still safe, was not doing all that well.

Look at him, full of rage and pain but the one he wants, no, _needs_ to bite to death is nowhere in sight. And even if he was nearby, it wouldn't help. Because Kyoya has no idea who the kidnapper is.

Oh, why didn't he just go to town by himself yesterday instead of sending Hayato and Chrome?!

"Darn it," Kyoya whispered, wishing beyond belief to see his siblings again, to hold them and never let go.

And that was a lot coming from him, since he never was that much of a hugger.

Then suddenly, Mukuro gasped.

"Chrome?"

 **And boom, we have hope again! So yeah, when I thinking of how I was going to do this chapter, I remembered that I had promised to do a chapter on Kyoya's backstory a while back. But I had to postpone it because well, I didn't know how to add it in without interrupting the flow of the story. Hopefully this chapter didn't interrupt the flow and the backstory was up to your expectations!**

 **So what you think of Kyoya's backstory and his angst in this chapter? Please tell me your thoughts in a review and I will update shortly! Till then, have a good day/night!**


	24. Chapter 22

**I don't own KHR.**

They know she's awake...what is she going to do now?!

"Hey it's okay, don't panic, you're ultimately safe here," the Ryohei look-alike said softly, his previous joyous expression now replaced with...a concerned expression. One that actually...looked geniune. "Those bad men aren't gonna hurt you anymore."

Yeah, because Chrome was pretty certain they were dead. Well...at least the one shot by the man with the yellow pacifier was. Chrome wasn't sure if Hayato killed the other one or not.

Speaking of Hayato...

Chrome turned her head to look at Hayato, who was still sleeping peacefully, despite the fact that there were three strange adults in the same room as them. Though his face paler than Chrome would have liked,.

"Your friend is going to be alright," Ryohei's older look-alike told her. "Luckily, even though he has a nasty wound, we were able to get to him in time to save his life without...too much trouble. He has yet to wake up, but he is showing signs that he will soon. As long as he has plenty of time to rest, I'm sure your friend will make a full recovery."

Chrome, who had been subconsciously holding her breath, let out a long sigh of relief. While she knew that her brother was going to be alright, it was still nice to have it confirmed.

"How about you though?" Chrome turned her head to see Takeshi's look-alike at the foot of her bed, with a small smile on his face. "How are you holding up?"

He really is similar to Takeshi...maybe...maybe she can trust him? Ryohei's look-alike, whose name she think was Knuckle, was also pretty kind like Ryohei too. And G seemed gruff but was considerate enough to not scream in front of them.

Just like Hayato.

Maybe she can trust all of three of them?

No. Chrome shook her head as she strengthened her resolve. She and her family ran away from the orphanage because they were going to be seperated. Sure, these men seemed eerily similar to her brothers in both appearance and personality, but that doesn't mean they were just going to let her family continue living in the cave.

Of course, she doesn't have tell them about the rest of her family. She could lie and say she and Hayato were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But then they will surely ask her about their parents and then she will have to lie and...Chrome doesn't know how long she can lie before it all blows up in her face.

And to make matters worse, neither of them were in no condition to run if everything goes south.

Especially Hayato.

"Oh, you're not feeling that well?" Takeshi's look-alike continued, obviously having taken Chrome shaking her head as an answer to his question. "Well...don't worry. We're here to help!"

"That's right!" Knuckle agreed with a nod. "But first things first...what is your name? My name is Knuckle, the Sun Guardian of Vongola."

Vongola? Why does that sound familiar? And what does he mean by Sun Guardian?

"Whoa, are you sure we should be telling her that we are part of Vongola like that?!" G exclaimed.

"Why not? I mean, don't she and her friend have a right to know where they are?" Knuckle asked.

"Makes sense to me," Takeshi's look-alike added. "I'm Asari by the way, the Rain Guardian of Vongola."

Rain Guardian?

"Asari! Did...did you two even ask Primo if you could tell them?!" G cried with a wave of his arms. Primo? Who is Primo?

"I did, and he wholeheartedly gave me his ultimate permission," Knuckle said calmly.

"Oh," G said simply, as he immediately went from frustrated to kind-of sheepish. "Well...my name's G kid, the Storm Guardian of Vongola."

Sun, Rain, and Storm Guardians...what exactly have she and Hayato gotten themselves into? Some kind of cult?

"Now that we've introduced ourselves kid, do you mind telling us your name?" G asked, seeming a bit impatient that Chrome hasn't said anything yet.

What is she going to do, what should she do, oh, if only Mukuro were here!

Wait...he might not be here but she could still contact him! Chrome thinks she has enough energy for that.

But the men aren't going to want to wait till she can contact him and tell him about the situation...she is going to have to delay their line of questioning.

Then suddenly, Chrome felt a yawn coming on.

And just like that, she knew what to do.

Chrome let the yawn come in at full force as she covered it up with her hand (being polite had been ingrained in her ever since she was very little). When her yawn had run its course, she let her eyelid flutter while her lips moved as if she was speaking.

"Hm? What was that? Sorry, I couldn't catch that," Asari said, sounding apologetic as his eyebrows narrowed. "Did you guys catch that?"

"Nope," G responded quickly.

"I ultimately did not," Knuckle admitted. "I think the poor thing is falling back asleep."

So far, so good.

Once again, she let her lips move with no words coming out as her eyelid begin to flutter shut.

"Wait, don't go asleep yet! We need..."

"It's okay G, let her go back to sleep," Knuckle butted in. "She has been through a lot. We can ask her when she's more awake."

"But what about her parents? The boy's parents?" Asari asked, sounding worried as Chrome closed her eye. "They have to be really anxious by now."

"Well, I guess that we will just have to keep on investigating and hope we will find them soon," Knuckle said calmly.

Since Hayato is an orphan and Chrome's parents were all the way back in Japan...that wasn't going to happen.

"I'm going to go update Primo," Chrome heard G say before the sound of footsteps leaving the room filled the air.

"I guess I go update Elena then," Asari said before Chrome heard him leave the room.

"Well, little one...have a good rest. I hope you will feel better when you wake up," Knuckle said softly as Chrome felt him move some stray hairs off her forehead. The sound of footsteps then filled the air before they were cut off by the sound of a quietly closing door.

Even though Chrome was sure she and Hayato were alone, Chrome still had her eye closed.

After last time, she didn't want to risk it again.

So instead, feeling happy that her plan worked, Chrome took a deep breath. Mukuro isn't going to be happy...but better now than never.

She then finally reopened her mental connection with her fellow illusionist.

 _"Mukuro-sama? Are you there?"_

There was a beat of tenseful silence.

 _"Chrome?"_

Chrome smiled.

 _"Hi Mukuro-sama. Sorry for..."_

 _"Where are you?! How are you?! What about Hayato?! Is he with you?! Is he okay?! Is he alive?! Who kidnapped you?! What happened to you two?! Chrome answer me!"_

Yeah...she shouldn't cut off their mental connection again for a while.

 **Yeah, that is probably a good idea Chrome. And yes Elena will be in this fic! Not sure when, but my guess is within the next few chapters. Also, as a side note, Chrome's hair is down right now, not in a pineapple hairdo, so the Vongola don't see her as Daemon's female doppelganger.**

 **So what did you think of the chapter? Were the characters in character, did the chapter flow well, etc? Please let me know your thoughts (whatever they might be) in a review and I will update shortly! Till then, have a good night/day!**


	25. Christmas special

**I managed to post this right before Christmas ends! Woo-hoo! Now, I know you guys wanted to know what happens next (and you will, perhaps even later this week. Before the end of the month in any case), but with it being Christmas and all...I really felt like doing a Christmas special. And then this came to life...so here we are!**

 **I don't own KHR.**

Tsuna gazed at the barely decorated Christmas tree and smiled. He remembered how at his first Christmas here at the orphanage he felt really sad. Not only was the tree and the orphanage itself sparsely decorated (just like this year), but the caretakers weren't any nicer despite it being the holiday season. In fact, it was like they got even meaner.

To a very young boy who just lost his parents, all of these were particularly low blows.

But then Kyoya saw his depressed state, he just sighed and left for an hour or so before coming back not only with holly leaves and red berries, but also a real life bunny. Tsuna remembered how delighted and happy he was, and repeatedly thank Kyoya as they quickly sprinkled the leaves and berries all around Tsuna's bed (Kyoya's idea, since not only did it actually look nice, but it will keep the annoying herbivores away). Then they played with the bunny on Tsuna's bed for practically the rest of the day.

While they did end up letting the bunny go back to the woods so the caretakers wouldn't find out and possibly hurt it, that Christmas still has a special place in Tsuna's heart.

But this year...Tsuna doesn't care about the clearly dying Christmas tree and the ugly brown wreath on the front door of the orphanage. Not only does he have Kyoya now, but he now also has Mukuro and Chrome. While it would be nice to be in a more festive place, Tsuna is just grateful to have his family with him.

A loud, shaky sigh interrupted him out of his thoughts and Tsuna looked around the room, expecting one of his brothers to either slightly criticize him for spacing out (Kyoya) or tease him (Mukuro). But to his surprise, there was only one other person in the room, and he definitely wasn't one of his brothers.

It was Ryohei.

The white-haired Japanese boy had just arrived a few days ago, and already just about everybody in the orphanage evaded him like the plague. Tsuna was a bit confused at that, since Ryohei wasn't the first foreign boy in the orphanage to not speak a lick of Italian (he's pretty sure that was Kyoya).

After some time observing Ryohei, Tsuna really couldn't figure it out. Ryohei seemed to be a nice boy, especially when he saved Tsuna from tripping down the stairs. He even gave some of his dinner last night to Chrome, even though like everybody else, he hadn't been given that much.

When Mukuro questioned him why (thankfully, even though he has never been to Japan, Mukuro knew fluent Japanese. Tsuna thinks he learned it from Chrome), Ryohei told him upfront that Chrome was too thin and needed the food more than he did. He then squinted at Mukuro before dubbing him too thin as well as giving him the rest of his pasta.

Mukuro was too speechless to protest.

After all this happened, Tsuna was more confused than ever. Ryohei acted like an older brother who looked after his younger siblings, and everybody liked being looked after in some form or another. So why didn't people like Ryohei?

Tsuna finally went to Kyoya and Mukuro about this, and it was then that he learned the truth. The kids and the caretakers didn't avoid Ryohei because of the language barrier, but because his parents had traveled all the way to Italy to just dump him at the orphanage.

Why they couldn't just abandon Ryohei at a Japanese orphanage, no one knew but this was for certain: if Ryohei's parents were desperate enough to go all the way to Italy to abandon him, then he must really be worthless and unwanted.

Which was poppycock in Tsuna's opinion. Chrome, who was also there, agreed with him. And though they didn't exactly voice it, Tsuna knew his brothers believed that the orphanage's treatment of Ryohei was poppycock too.

In fact, Tsuna had taken upon himself that the next time he saw Ryohei, he would cheer him up. Tsuna didn't know exactly how, but he was going to do it. Kyoya cheered him up during his first Christmas here. So why shouldn't he do it for someone else?

"C'mon, get it together," Ryohei mumbled to himself as he rubbed his eyes with the bottom of his palms, seemingly oblivious to Tsuna being in the same room as him. "It's Christmas. You're supposed to be extremely happy at Christmas time...not extremely sad."

Tsuna feels he has an idea of how he can cheer Ryohei up now.

Steeling himself with a deep breath, he walked over to Ryohei who was sitting in front of the tree. It wasn't till he was standing next to Ryohei that the older boy noticed him.

"Oh hi...Tsuna right?" Tsuna nodded, as he wondered what he was about to do was actually a good idea.

Then he got a clear look at Ryohei's misty gray eyes and decided, in short, what the heck.

So before another doubt could cloud his judgment, Tsuna plopped right down in Ryohei's lap without warning and snuggled against the taller boy. Ryohei stiffened in surprise, but after a few moments, his body relaxed and he wrapped his arms around the boy as he laid his chin on Tsuna's fluffly brown hair.

They didn't talk. Tsuna thought about it but decided against it, having a feeling that talking wasn't needed, at least not right now. Ryohei knew why Tsuna was here, what he was trying to do, and that was enough for now.

The two boys stayed liked that for some time, till Chrome quietly entered the room. She stayed at the entrance for a minute or so till she shyly walked over and sat next to Ryohei and leaned her head against his arm. Ryohei didn't waste time in scootching Tsuna to the side and dragging Chrome over till she was sitting in his lap too.

A few minutes later, Tsuna heard Mukuro calling out for him and Chrome, so he answered without budging from Ryohei's lap. When Mukuro entered the room a few moments later, he stared at them sitting in Ryohei's lap before rolling his eyes.

"I know it's Christmas, but that doesn't mean we have to get all lovey-dovey," Mukuro sighed as he walked over to them and sat down with his back right against Ryohei's back.

Chrome just giggled as Mukuro situated himself till he was comfortable. Ryohei didn't protest, in fact as Tsuna looked up, he saw a little smile.

"We're just sitting in front of the tree right? Not talking?" Tsuna looked over past Chrome to see Kyoya (he must entered the room without him noticing. Again) standing a few feet away from them before laying down. "Cause I want to take a nap."

"Aw, are you such a light sleeper that you can't take some mild chit-chat, skylark?" Mukuro taunted.

"Just shut up pineapple."

"Oh? Did..."

"You guys are extreme," Ryohei suddenly said out loud. Tsuna and Chrome looked up at Ryohei, who looked down at them with a slightly bigger smile and eyes full of appreciation.

"Very extreme," Ryohei stated as he hugged Tsuna and Chrome closer to him.

"Yeah sure...whatever," Mukuro responded, still not really used to being complimented as Kyoya just smiled before closing his eyes.

Tsuna smiled widely as a strong feeling informed him that he just gained an older brother.

This is turning out to be another great Christmas.

 **So...what did you think? Did you feel the Christmas spirit, felt for the characters, etc.? In any case, please leave a review and have a Merry Christmas! Or Happy Holidays, whichever you prefer.**

 **Note: This is canon to the main story-line, in case any of you were wondering. So yeah, poor Ryohei...at least he is with people who genuinely care about him now (because his parents do not, let me tell you that much).**


	26. Chapter 23

**I don't own KHR.**

To say Mukuro was feeling a rollercoaster of emotions right now would be an understatement. Relief, anxiety, joy, fear...they were all just swirling and twisting together like a bunch of cobras had decided to nest right inside his chest.

But he couldn't focus on that right now. Chrome, thank the stars, was _alive_ and _talking_ to him through their connection. Mukuro needed to stay calm and listen to what she has to say.

Well...as calm as he can be considering all that happened in the last day or so.

 _"I'm okay Mukuro-sama...and so is Hayato. He is going to live."_

Mukuro may or may not have shed a tear in joy. And even if he did and someone else saw it...Mukuro actually wouldn't care...that much. His brother, despite being shot, was still alive. Hayato was going to live! Both of them were going to live!

"Mukuro, what's going on?" Ryohei asked in a rare hesitant tone. Kyoya, standing beside him, also looked hestitantly hopeful. Before Mukuro could utter a single sound, Chrome spoke up, forcing Mukuro to silently tell them to wait with a lifted index finger.

 _"But he hasn't woken up yet and is in no position to move and...we need to. If I remember correctly, the man with yellow pacifier actually...saved us and drop us off with...a group of people that took care of Hayato's wound. They seem nice but if they find out that Hayato and I are orphans and worse yet, about the rest of you, they will snatch us all up and put us in different orphanages and..."_

 _"It's okay Chrome, that's not gonna happen, I swear it,"_ Mukuro ended her rambling as confidently as he could, though his mind was whirling with all the new information.

The man with the yellow pacifier saved them? Why? Why save them but try to kill Tsuna? Was Chrome mistaken?

Maybe...though something told Mukuro that wasn't the case.

At least, Chrome and Hayato were in a safe enough place...for now. Sure, the adults will most definitely try to intervene in their lives in the worst way possible but they saved Hayato. They also didn't know the truth yet and as long as Mukuro and the others acted quickly and quietly, Chrome and Hayato should be back home without much difficulty.

However...now that Mukuro thought about it...who were they?

 _"Now...what do you mean by a group of people? Are they doctors?"_

 _"One of them is I think but...not all of them. They say they are the Guardians of Vongola."_

Mukuro's heterochromatic eyes widened in recognition as a seed of anxiety began to sprout in his heart again. Vongola...he knew that name. The Estraneo often cursed that name as they exprimented on him, often saying that the Vongola must pay, no matter the cost.

Vongola, the strongest and most powerful mafia family in the world.

And his siblings were in their hands.

Mukuro had to fight to keep his fear and hatred under control. He couldn't afford to frighten Chrome.

But she had to know. So his darling sister wouldn't find herself falling for their dirty tricks before Mukuro and the others could get to them.

Because it didn't matter if it was a group of evil, yet weak doctors, or some members of the strongest famiglia, Mukuro was going to have his family be whole again.

And if he gets to rid the earth of some _digusting_ mafioso, the people he hates the most, while he is at it...

Then that is just a bonus.

 _"Chrome...the Vongola is the strongest mafia family in the world."_

 _"Wha...What?! But...they geniunely seemed so nice..."_

 _"Yes, because they want you to drop your guard. They pretend to be nice to manipulate you to telling them everything, and once they get what they want, that is when their true colors will show."_

 _"I...I won't tell them anything Mukuro-sama! I swear it! In fact, I haven't even spoken a single word to them! I pretended that I was too tired to answer their questions and they bought it!"_

Mukuro couldn't help but smirk a little. That's his sister.

 _"I'm proud of you my little sister. Do you think you can keep up the silent act for a little longer? Like you are just too traumatized to speak?"_

 _"Yes Mukuro-sama! I won't fail you!"_

 _"I believe you. Now rest Chrome, I know you must be tired. Just stay silent, recover, and update me on Hayato's condition, as well as tell me as much as you can about the mafioso, the layout of the building you in, etc. I'm going to tell the others you're alive and together, we will find a way to get you two back."_

 _"I believe you Mukuro-sama. And...I'm sorry that I cut off our connection. I...needed as much power and concentration as possible but...it still wasn't enough..."_

 _"It's okay Chrome,"_ Mukuro stated honestly, having forgiven her a while ago. _"I know that you did what you thought was best. Just as I know that you did your best."_

 _"O-Okay Mukuro-sama."_

While Chrome didn't sound as sure as Mukuro would have liked her to be, he didn't press it for now. He has plenty of time to reassure his sister that none of this was her fault.

Mukuro is going to make sure of it.

 _"Well...goodnight Mukuro-sama. Or rather since it is still in the middle of the day...I will talk to you after I wake up."_

 _"I look forward to it, my darling little sister. Rest well,"_ Mukuro told her with a warm smile. Then, sure that was the end of their conversation, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them and facing his brothers.

"They're alive. Both of them are alive and will remain so."

"Ex...Extreme!" Ryohei yelled in a very loud and elated voice, with no trace of sadness in his misty gray eyes (he startled some bystanders but Mukuro and his brothers didn't care one bit). While Kyoya didn't say a thing, he did let a shaky sigh of relief like a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"Though...they are still in trouble," Mukuro told them, not wanting to end their happy moment but knowing he really didn't have a choice. Instantly, Ryohei quieted down and Kyoya narrowed his eyes.

"Tell us everything."

 **Hey, look at that, I updated before December ended! Heck yeah, I cut it close, but I fulfilled my promise! And yes, Mukuro still hates the mafia in this AU. He isn't planning on instigating a world war (his family is to thank for that, especially Chrome and Tsuna) but he still thinks the world of the mafia is a disgusting place. And to be fair, it can be in this AU and in the anime.**

 **So what did you think? Were the characters in character, did their beliefs and motivations make sense, etc? Please leave a review and I will update in January. Till, have a Happy New Years!**


	27. Chapter 24

**I don't own KHR.**

Chrome sighed as she pondered what she should do next. After she woke up again, Knuckle tried asking her about her and Hayato's parents but stopped when it was clear that Chrome wasn't going to talk. Chrome was kind of afraid that he was going to get mad but luckily, he didn't. If anything, Knuckle seemed...kind of sad.

Even with the knowledge that Vongola was a mafia family, Chrome had to remind herself that Knuckle was a bad man like the Estraneo members who experimented on her and Mukuro.

In any case, Knuckle left shortly after his failed attempt to extract information from her. As soon as he did, Chrome contacted Mukuro and gave him a full update on the situation, including a detailed description on Knuckle, G, and Asari. When she told him that the three men looked just like their brothers, Mukuro could hardly believe her. Not that Chrome blamed him. She could still hardly believe it herself. And she's seen them!

Chrome looked over to Hayato, who was still sleeping. And from what she gathered, he didn't wake up while she herself was sleeping either. But Chrome wasn't too worried. Hayato did get shot in the chest, so it made sense that he hasn't waken up yet. And besides, Chrome thought that he looked better than he did before.

"Oh good, you're still awake." Startled, Chrome jumped a bit as she turned her attention to the door. Her violet eye immediately widened in shock. Closing the door behind him, was unquestionably Mukuro's adult doppelganger (Mukuro-sama taught her that word). He even had a very similar, if not the same, hairstyle!

Do the rest of her family have doppelgangers in this famiglia?! Does she have a doppelganger?! Or...is this man her doppelganger too?

Once, while they still lived in the orphanage, Chrome did her hair exactly like Mukuro just because she wanted to. The result was her looking like she could be blood-related to Mukuro and Kyoya pratically ordering her put her purple hair back down (much to Mukuro's disappointment. He thought it was cute).

"Hey, how does getting out of bed and going to a tea party sound?" Chrome tilted her head.

What?

"I'll take that a yes," Mukuro's doppelganger said before pulling out her I.V. Chrome only had time to wince from the twinge of pain before the man gently lifted her out of bed, bridal style.

"Man you are so light...are girls this age supposed to be this light?" the man asked as he carried her out of the room. "Do you know?"

Even if Chrome hadn't promised Mukuro that she would keep up the silent act, she wouldn't have answered anyway. Not just because she honestly didn't know, but also because she was just too bewildered to speak.

What...what was going on here?

"You don't know? That's okay, maybe Elena knows. Oh where are my manners, my name is Daemon. What is your name?"

Chrome kept silent, not willing to break her promise for something as simple as her name. When he didn't receive an answer, Daemon just sighed.

"Still not able to talk huh? That's okay too, I prefer silence any day over G's squawking and Knuckle's 'ultimate' yelling. Seriously, I'm kind of surprised I haven't gotten deaf yet what with all noise that goes on in this mansion."

The word mansion caused Chrome's eye to widen in recollection. That's right, Mukuro asked her to tell him about the layout of the mansion! She was so wrapped up in the fact that Daemon was holding her like she was a baby deer that she forgot!

Eager and anxious to not mess up any further, Chrome roamed her eye around her surroundings. She and Daemon were currently in a long hallway that was furnished with golden wallpaper (it had swirl patterns on it), paintings, and many doors that were all closed. As Chrome noted all of this in her mind, she couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of this single hallway.

Though Vongola might be a mafia family, they at least had good taste in interior decorating.

"Here we are," Daemon stated as he stopped in front of a door. Without hesitation, he opened it to reveal a room with light-blue wallpaper and a round table (which had a pink, lacey tablecloth on it) in the center of it.

But what caught Chrome's attention was the woman messing with the tea kettle. She had long, wavy blonde hair and large eyes that were the color of the sky.

All in all, she was the most beautiful woman Chrome had ever seen.

"Here is the little girl Elena," Daemon introduced as the woman turned to face them. Elena instantly placed her fingers over her mouth and...and _cooed_.

"Aww...she is just too cute!" Chrome's eye widened _and_ her mouth dropped open slightly in slight shock and bewilderment.

No adult...has ever called her cute before. Even before she lost her eye, no one ever called her cute.

If anything, Chrome was considered a waste of space.

"I know right?" Daemon agreed. "She is super light though...are girls her age supposed to be this small and light?"

"Well, everyone's body type is different so it really just depends," Elena explained as she walked over to them. "However, I imagined that she has lost some weight during her and her poor friend's ordeal...that's nothing we can't fix though."

"Fair enough," Daemon commented as Elena combed her fingers through Chrome's purple hair gently.

"Your hair is so pretty," Elena complimented with a wide and serene smile. "And now that I know what color your eye is, I can buy something that will suit you perfectly. We can't hand you back to your parents in only a nightgown after all. And your other clothes were unfortunately passed saving."

"Where did you get the nightgown anyway?" Daemon asked.

"Oh when Reborn brought them here, I quickly went to town and bought nightwear for both her and the boy. We apparently don't have hospital gowns for children here. We need to fix that."

Upon this realization, Chrome looked down at her nightgown, which was white with a dark purple ribbon tied in a bow at the top. It was very pretty and soft...and Elena bought it for her when she barely knew her.

And Elena still barely knows her, but she wants to buy some more clothes for her. Chrome looked back up at Elena's gentle eyes and Daemon's kind smile.

They have been so kind and gentle to her...is this...what parents are supposed to be like?

Chrome doesn't remember her birth father, though considering that he ran out on them for a minor T.V. star (according to her mother), he obviously wasn't that much of a father. Her mother wasn't much better, if not worse. For as long as she could remember, her mother will scold her for the smallest thing and ridiculed her harshly. She did her best to not be seen with Chrome in public (she was too ashamed to be seen with such a pathetic girl) but whenever she had to, she hardly ever spoke a word to Chrome and pretty much ignored her.

Chrome also wasn't allowed to touch her. Chrome remembers the one time she tried to take her mother's hand only to have it harshly slapped away while her mother screamed at her. She stopped trying after that, and resorted to holding hands with the one doll she owned whenever she felt the need for physical contact.

When her mother remarried, Chrome blindly hoped for a short time that things would get better. It didn't. Her stepfather ignored her entirely and her mother kept threatening to stop ruining their marriage or else. While ruining their marriage hadn't even enter Chrome's mind, she stopped trying to spend quality time with the man.

Then one day, two men in black suits came to her house. The next thing she knew, the two men were taking her away forcibly and harshly, while her parents just stood there. While she begged for them to help her, her father just looked into the suitcase he got from one of the men. But the thing Chrome remembers with the most clarity is her mother's smile.

If only because it was the only time her mother ever smiled directly at her. And it was full of glee.

When Chrome wouldn't stop struggling (she may not have known exactly what was going on, but she knew it was very bad), one of the men struck her with a needle and she blacked out. When she came to, she found herself in a barren cell in a building of that she would later find out was the home of the Estraneo.

When Chrome found out that she was now a test subject in Italy, far away from her home country of Japan, she cried. It hurt that her parents sold her, but deep down, she wasn't surprised.

After all, it was clear from the beginning that they never loved her.

But these two adults, who didn't even know her name, were treating her way better than they ever did.

And...Chrome honestly couldn't find anything fake about it.

"Well, the tea is going to get cold if we just stand here," Elena declared as she walked back to the table. "So let this secret tea party commence!"

"Hear hear, those cookies looked positively scrumptious! I think you've outdone yourself, my dear," Daemon complimented as he walked to the nearest chair and set Chrome down gently on it.

"Oh Daemon, you haven't even tried them yet!" Elena responded with a wide grin as Daemon pushed her chair forward, like Chrome was a lady.

"I don't need to taste them to know that they must be delicious, right little lady?" Daemon asked her with a wide grin. Chrome glanced at the cookies, which were small with a drop of jam in the middle, and couldn't help but nod.

"See? Even she agrees," Daemon pointed out as he pulled out Elena's chair.

Chrome looked at them and found herself wishing that this was real. That she wasn't in the home of the strongest mafia family and that Daemon and Elena really were this nice. Maybe they were but...Chrome knew she couldn't count on it. Even if this all wasn't some trick, Chrome couldn't stay. She and Hayato had to go back to their family.

But maybe...just this once...Chrome could pretend. Pretend that she was just attending an innocent tea party with two people that really were kinder than her parents.

As long as she didn't talk, it should be fine...right?

 **Poor Chrome...she may or may not be wishing that Elena and Daemon were her real parents. Elena and Daemon for their part 'kidnapped' her so that one: Elena can have girl time with their cute little visitor and two: they hoped that some friendly interaction like this could help Chrome overcome her trauma and get her to talk again.**

 **So what did you think of the chapter? How was Chrome's backstory, did the story flow nicely, and how was Elena? Please leave a review and I will update by February at the latest. See ya later!**


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